Supreme Court Criticizes Centre, Punjab, Haryana Over Inaction on Delhi Air Pollution
The Supreme Court of India expressed frustration today, saying that nothing substantial was being done to address the air pollution problem in Delhi, which worsens every year. The court noted that no one seems to be enforcing the orders from the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), which is responsible for tackling the pollution issue.
"Everyone knows that beyond discussions, nothing is actually happening. That’s the harsh truth," said Justice AS Oka, who was sitting on a bench alongside Justices A Amanullah and AG Masih.
Last week, the court had asked the CAQM to file a detailed report on the steps it was taking to combat stubble burning, a major contributor to Delhi’s air pollution.
During today’s hearing, Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati explained the composition of the panel, but Justice Oka pointed out that the committee had met only three times in the past nine months, with no discussions on stubble burning. He also mentioned that the last meeting was on August 29, and there had been no meetings in September. Despite the presence of enforcement officers, nothing had been done to ensure the orders were followed.
Justice Amanullah questioned why 11 members had missed a sub-committee meeting focused on enforcement, asking, "Is this the level of seriousness?"
Justice Oka emphasized that meetings alone were not enough, stating, "Where is the actual implementation of your orders at the grassroots level? Without prosecutions, no one will take these orders seriously."
When the government’s lawyer said they had registered complaints for disobeying public servant orders, the court criticized them for using the least severe laws available. Justice Oka suggested that stricter provisions under the CAQM Act and the Environmental Protection Act should have been applied.
The government lawyer argued that tougher action wasn’t taken because pollution levels had improved. But the court was unconvinced, pointing out that even though there were 129 cases of stubble burning in 2024, no serious action had been taken. The court asked why harsher sections of the law had not been used against both the farmers and the responsible government officers.
The court also criticized the low fines imposed on those burning crop stubble, saying that merely holding meetings wouldn’t solve the problem unless real action was taken at the ground level.
The discussion then moved to machines available for removing crop stubble to prevent farmers from burning their fields. The lawyer for the Punjab government explained that while the machines are given to farmers for free, many farmers, particularly those with less than 10 acres of land, can’t afford to hire drivers or pay for the fuel to run the machines. The state proposed that farmers be given funds to cover these costs.
The court was unimpressed, saying, "So you’re telling us that nothing will be done unless you get money from the central government? Unless strict action is taken at the grassroots level, this problem will not be solved. There’s no fear of consequences. The machines are available, but they’re not being used. It’s as simple as that."
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