In a scathing commentary on stubble burning contributing to Delhi-NCR’s air pollution, the Supreme Court rebuked the Punjab government, highlighting that farmers are being unfairly portrayed as villains without adequate representation in court.
The court cited a report indicating that despite 8,481 meetings with farmers, the upward trend in farm fires in Punjab has not diminished. The Supreme Court emphasized that 984 FIRs were filed against landowners for stubble burning, resulting in environmental compensation exceeding ₹2 crore, of which only ₹18 lakh has been recovered.
Hearing petitions related to Delhi’s toxic air, the bench of Justices SK Kaul and S Dhulia directed both the Punjab and Delhi governments to take decisive action against the burning of agricultural waste, a significant contributor to Delhi’s deteriorating air quality.
“Why doesn’t the Punjab government make the process of crop residue 100% free?” questioned the Supreme Court, emphasizing that the state should learn from Haryana’s approach in providing financial incentives to curb stubble burning.
The court expressed concern about Punjab’s depleting water table leading to arid land, urging farmers to understand the consequences of cultivating paddy. Additionally, the Supreme Court called for exploring alternatives to discourage paddy cultivation and encouraged the cultivation of alternate crops.
As political blame over air pollution persists, the Supreme Court urged state and union governments to prioritize solutions over politics. The court warned that continued blame games could lead to dire consequences such as land drying up and water disappearing.
Punjab reported 634 fresh farm fire cases on Monday, despite efforts by the police to prevent stubble burning. The Supreme Court’s strong stance comes amid rising pollution levels in Delhi, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) recorded at 365 on Tuesday morning.
With inputs from agencies
