UP: Farmer gets arrested for burning stubble

A farmer was arrested and 15 others were fined for burning crop residue in their fields in Uttar Pradesh's Shamli district, officials said on Thursday.

The action was taken during a spot check on Wednesday, they said.

Tara Chand was arrested after he was found burning crop residue in his fields in Margub Garh village under Thanabhawan police station, Sub-Divisional Magistrate Sandeep Kumar said.

A case has been registered against him under section 278 (making atmosphere noxious to health) of the Indian Penal Code, he said.

During the checking, 15 farmers in Shamli's Kairana tehsil were fined Rs 2,500 each for stubble burning, Kumar said.

In the neighbouring Muzaffarnagar district, a farmer, Sunil Kumar, was booked for stubble burning on Wednesday.

He was booked following a complaint lodged by a revenue official, Sub-Divisional Magistrate Vijay Kumar said.

Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) have been grappling with hazardous levels of air pollution since late October. Stubble burning by farmers in the neighbouring states contributes to the pollution in the national capital.