Delhi air pollution: SC directs Punjab, Haryana, UP, Rajasthan and Delhi to stop stubble burning

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed the Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi governments to stop crop burning forthwith. It made the local SHO responsible for implementing the direction under the supervision of DGP and the Chief Secretary.

Taking up the issue of Delhi pollution, a bench of Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Sudhanshu Dhulia told the Punjab government led by Advocate General that it has to stop stubble burning either by forceful action or by incentives.

"Stubble burning is a substantial part of pollution. It must go. It is a major issue and contributor. Growing of paddy is a problem. Something has to be done immediately. This crop is also destroying the water table of the State. Minimum Support Price is leading to smuggling of grains from other states," the bench said.

Noting that air pollution leads to health problems of the people in Delhi, the bench said, "It can't be a political battle all the time and blame game...we want it to be stopped."

"We want the issue to be sorted out tomorrow so that it does not recur next year," the bench said.

The court ordered for holding of a meeting of all stakeholders on Wednesday as it fixed considering taking up the matter on Friday.

After hearing Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, senior advocate Vikas Singh, Gopal Sankaranarayanan and amicus curiae senior advocate Aparajita Singh and others, the bench said there are many tipping points of the problem, apart from the stubble burning and vehicular pollutions.

"The residents of Delhi are suffering because we fail to find solutions to aggravated problem in this period," the bench said.

"This is on going for five years. It is time to do something. The matter requires immediate attention and court monitoring," the bench added.

The court also directed the Centre to consider phasing out paddy cultivation in Punjab, even though it is not a native crop, by giving out MSPs on other alternative crops like millets.

"Switch over is necessary, the central government is anyway encouraging other crops," the bench said.

The court also noted suggestions by the Punjab government that farmers are doing it due to economic reasons, alternatives are not adhered to due to obstinacy or cost, and that farmers are unwilling to purchase expensive machines even if they only have to pay for 25 per cent.

The Punjab government said it is ready is to bear 25 per cent cost and 25 per cent can be brone by Delhi, and the Centre should provide 50 per cent. There is no reason why the cost is not be borne by the Centre, it said.

Mehta referred to Delhi CM's suggestion that some solution can be sprinkled which converts stubble into fertilizer. Let them say if it is effective or not, he said.