The Supreme Court on Tuesday said termed the deteriorating air quality of the national capital as ‘murder of people’s health’ and said that this situation of Delhi can’t become a political battle.
The court has pointed out that the burning of crop residue in the neighboring states of Punjab and Haryana is a major contributor to the severe increase in Delhi’s air pollution during the winter months.
It has directed the Punjab government to take immediate measures to halt stubble burning, emphasizing the urgency of the situation. The court has held both the Punjab and Delhi governments responsible for addressing the problem and urged them to take action.
A bench comprising Justice SK Kaul and Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia has scheduled a follow-up hearing for Friday. In addition, the court has instructed the Central government to convene a meeting with the governments of Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab, and Delhi to discuss strategies for ending stubble burning. Vehicular emissions, which are another significant contributor to Delhi’s air pollution, are also under the court’s scrutiny.
The court’s intervention comes in response to a case highlighting the hazardous air quality in the national capital, which has consistently fallen into the ‘severe’ category in recent days.
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As per data from the Central Pollution Control Board, several areas in Delhi recorded Air Quality Indices (AQI) exceeding 400, four times higher than the acceptable air quality levels.
Advocate Aparajita Singh, representing the petitioner, emphasized that despite claims by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) and state governments that they are taking measures to control air pollution, stubble burning remains a persistent problem. She pointed out that stubble burning is a primary cause of Delhi’s deteriorating air quality, which the court agreed with and expressed the urgency of addressing the issue.
Senior Advocate Gopal Shankaranarayan, also appearing for the petitioners, highlighted that this matter has been under consideration since 2017, and multiple orders have been issued without effective results.
The court further directed both Punjab and the Central government to explore alternative crops to replace paddy, given its adverse impact on the state’s water table.
The issue of the annual spike in Delhi’s air pollution and the role of stubble burning has become a contentious political matter in recent years. The Aam Aadmi Party government in Delhi has previously accused the governments of Punjab and Haryana, which are ruled by rival political parties, of not taking sufficient measures to prevent crop residue burning. However, the AAP now governs both Delhi and Punjab, prompting debates regarding responsibility for the issue.
The farmers resort to crop residue burning due to time constraints ahead of the winter sowing season. This method offers a quick and cost-effective way to clear fields for new crops. The alternatives involve hiring laborers or machinery, both of which are expensive and time-consuming processes.