78-yr-old farmer convicted for stubble burning in Mohali

In probably a first-of-its-kind order, a 78-year-old farmer of Majat village in Mohali was held guilty of violating the ban on stubble burning after harvesting crops.

Sohan Singh was convicted and released on probation for a period of three months, which means he will not be confined but remain under court supervision. The court of judicial magistrate Aman Sharma, Kharar, also imposed a fine of ₹200 on him.

A slew of orders by the Punjab government, the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) and the National Green Tribunal (NGT) banning stubble burning have been issued after cities in the north, including Delhi, were choked because of hazardous pollution levels due to fields being set afire.

Singh was booked on November 5, 2016 after a police party, including investigating officer head constable Krishan Kumar, came upon stubble burning in a field near Dharakala village, and on enquiring found Singh to be the land owner.

Pleading for leniency, Singh said he was his family’s breadwinner.

On June 4, 2018, judicial magistrate Aman Sharma, while holding Singh guilty, said, “Keeping in view the age of convict, his antecedents and gravity of offence, this court deems it a fit case where ends of justice would meet if the convict is released on probation. More so, the ultimate goal of criminal jurisprudence is that every offender shall be provided chances of reformation.”

The court ordered that the farmer remain on probation for three months after furnish personal bonds of ₹30,000.

Burning issue

To check the burning of wheat residue, PPCB in 2017 imposed fines of ₹1.7 lakh on farmers in 198 cases of fire, while in 2018 a fine of ₹2,500 was imposed as 29 cases of fire were reported from Mohali district.