Supreme Court Urges Punjab Government for Immediate Action Against Stubble Burning Amid Delhi's Severe Air Pollution

In response to the alarming air pollution levels in the national capital, the Supreme Court, on November 7, issued a stern warning to the Aam Aadmi Party-led Punjab government, demanding an immediate end to stubble burning, a major contributor to the crisis. The top court also instructed the governments of Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan to take swift action against this harmful practice.

Image Source -www.thehindu.com

In response to the alarming air pollution levels in the national capital, the Supreme Court, on November 7, issued a stern warning to the Aam Aadmi Party-led Punjab government, demanding an immediate end to stubble burning, a major contributor to the crisis. The top court also instructed the governments of Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan to take swift action against this harmful practice.

The Supreme Court's remarks came after several incidents of stubble burning were reported recently, exacerbating the air pollution crisis in Delhi. The Aam Aadmi Party had earlier blamed the Haryana government for contributing to the pollution issue, emphasizing that Punjab is situated 500 kilometers away from Delhi, while Haryana is only 100 kilometers distant.

The court noted some positive developments, stating that Delhi has witnessed its best air quality in the last eight years, with a 31 percent reduction in pollution levels. According to the Central Air Quality Monitoring, stubble burning in Punjab has also decreased by 50-67 percent. However, the Punjab government was urged to take more immediate steps to curb this issue.

Delhi has been grappling with hazardous air quality conditions for nearly a week, with the pollution reaching 'Severe' levels. The Delhi government announced the reintroduction of the Odd-Even vehicle scheme for seven days, beginning November 13. However, the Supreme Court expressed skepticism about the scheme's effectiveness, calling it "mere optics."

 The court also made observations about the environmental impact of paddy crop cultivation in Punjab, highlighting the drastic decline in the water table due to extensive irrigation. It criticized the Central government for promoting millet while allowing paddy farming to deplete groundwater resources.

The Supreme Court took several important actions, including making local Station House Officers (SHOs) responsible for enforcing the court's orders on stubble burning under the supervision of Directors General of Police (DGPs) and Chief Secretaries. The court also called for the repair of a malfunctioning smog tower and urged the Chief Secretaries of the affected states to convene a meeting to address the pollution crisis.

The air pollution matter is scheduled for further hearing on Friday, November 10.

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In response to the Supreme Court's directives, former Deputy Chief Minister of Punjab and Congress leader Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa called for the Supreme Court to address pollution issues in Delhi and Haryana first and suggested that Punjab's farmers were being unfairly blamed.

Stubble burning continues to be a significant problem, with 2,060 cases reported in Punjab on November 6 alone, bringing the season's total to over 19,463 cases. The Delhi government has taken various measures to combat pollution, including a ban on trucks and other vehicles, except for light commercial vehicles. Additionally, classes for certain grades have been suspended to reduce vehicular pollution in the city.