Kailali Local Governments Urge Farmers to Stop Burning Wheat Stubble

Kailali. Local governments in Kailali have urged citizens not to set fire to their fields. The municipalities have issued notices requesting farmers to refrain from burning fields after harvesting wheat. They warned that burning crop residue harms soil health, causes environmental pollution, and increases the risk of fires spreading to human settlements.

Farmers in Kailali and Kanchanpur, Sudurpashchim Province, have completed their wheat harvest. The Janaki Rural Municipality has urged caution, noting that burning wheat stubble often leads to loss of life and property.

Disaster focal person Netra Prasad Jaisi stated that the rural municipality has requested farmers to provide the wheat straw for free to the local cattle shelter instead of burning it. Stray cattle from Janaki and Tikapur municipalities are housed in a shelter in Tikapur-2. Ratan Dhami of Janaki-4 remarked that providing the straw to animals is a better alternative than destroying it.

The Joshipur Rural Municipality has also called for an end to field burning due to the rise in fire incidents. Agriculture Officer Sanjay Chaudhary explained, "Burning kills microorganisms, depletes soil fertility, and degrades its physical, biological, and chemical properties. We have requested farmers to collect the straw and sell it to the municipality-run cattle shelter."

The municipality has set prices for wheat straw and invited farmers to apply for sales. The set price is Rs 3,700 per trolley and Rs 2,500 per dunalp. Farmers are required to deliver the straw to the Kanji House in Joshipur-3.

Similarly, Tikapur Municipality has urged against field burning. Nirmala Chaudhary, head of the Forest, Environment, and Disaster Management Branch, noted that past fire incidents have served as a warning. "We only have one fire engine and limited manpower, and we are often forced to deploy the fire engine to extinguish field fires," she said.

The Ministry of Land Management, Agriculture, and Cooperatives of Sudurpashchim has also advised against burning for the sake of soil protection. Crop Development Officer Girishraj Joshi stated that burning increases pollution and kills beneficial insects. "Instead of burning, plowing the residue into the soil creates fertilizer," he suggested.

Due to awareness campaigns, Tikapur has recorded only three fire incidents so far this year, compared to 12 during the same period last year. The Tikapur fire engine serves Janaki, Joshipur, Bhajani, and Rajapur in Bardiya. The arrival of a fire engine in Bhajani this year has provided some relief. Small acts of negligence during the hot season often lead to fire incidents.