Kathmandu, April 13 -- Farmers in Southern plains have resorted to stubble burning as they cannot transport and sell farm residues owing to the ongoing lockdown imposed by the government to stop the spread of Covid-19.

As the country is under a nationwide lockdown for the past three weeks, general life across the country, including agricultural activities, has been severely affected.

Farmers in Balara, which is only a few kilometres from the Indian border, have long been selling crop residues, including husks and wheat straws, to buyers from India. However, as the country is under lockdown and the border is sealed, the farmers have not been able to sell wheat straws to Indian buyers this year and have instead turned to stubble burning a...