Sameer Singh
Bathinda, November 5
A biomass project inaugurated four years ago by former Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal at Mehma Sarja village in Bathinda district has failed to tackle stubble-burning menace.
Reason: the plant set up on 19 acres of land remained operational for a few days.
The management of crop residue has become a bone of contention between the successive state governments and farmers for years now.
Pvt firm shut unit
There is no communication from the private firm. I have received information regarding outstanding dues and have asked the officials concerned to initiate the recovery process. —Showkat Ahmad Parray, Bathinda Deputy Commissioner
When the foundation of the project was laid in 2018, farmers were hopeful that a solution had been found and they would be spared “undue harassment” meted out to them citing environmental hazards.
Sources said the state government had tied-up with a Chennai-based private firm, which had acquired 19 acres of panchayati land at a lease of Rs 8 lakh on annual basis for 33 years. As per the agreement, the lease amount was to be increased 10 per cent every year.
Sources added that the firm fenced the area and also collected stubble from some villages. But after working for a few days, the unit shut abruptly. Gurdeep Singh of Bharti Kisan Union (Ekta-Sidhupur) said the state government should take action against the private firm and those responsible for shutting down the plant.
Sarpanch of Mehma Sarja village said, “The firm has outstanding dues to the tune of Rs 20 lakh. We spoke to the owners sometime ago and they assured us that payment of land taken on the lease will be made soon.”
Residents of the village added that they had raised the matter numerous times, but to no avail.
Bathinda Deputy Commissioner Showkat Ahmad Parray said, “There is no communication from the private firm. I have received information regarding outstanding dues and have asked the officials concerned to initiate the recovery process. It’s the prerogative of the firm depending on the memorandum of understanding whether to resume operations or not.”
The owner of the private firm could not be reached despite repeated attempts.
