Supreme Court Reprimands Centre, Haryana, Punjab Govts For Delhi Air Pollution

The Supreme Court on Thursday criticised the governments of Punjab and Haryana for collecting only nominal fines from farmers engaging in paddy stubble burning, which contributes to poor air quality in Delhi, as reported by news agency PTI.

The apex court also rebuked the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) for its failure to control stubble burning around Delhi, stating that the panel had made no effort to enforce its directives to prevent such incidents.

The court observed that only five out of 11 members attended the CAQM's meeting on 29 August, which was convened to discuss Delhi's air pollution, and noted that the Supreme Court's instructions were "not even discussed."

A bench comprising Justice Abhay S Oka and Justice Augustine George Masih also highlighted that the CAQM had not initiated any prosecutions in cases related to stubble burning. These remarks were made while the bench was reviewing the compliance report submitted by the CAQM.

The court directed the Centre and the CAQM to file affidavits within a week and scheduled the next hearing for 16 October.

'Total non-compliance'

During an earlier hearing on 27 September, the Supreme Court had similarly criticised the CAQM for its inability to curb air pollution in the national capital.

It urged the body to be more proactive and to exercise its authority under the Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas Act, 2021.

"There has been total non-compliance of the Act. Please show us a single direction issued to any stakeholder under the Act. We are of the view that though the commission has taken steps, it needs to be more active. The commission must ensure that its efforts and directions issued actually translate into reducing the problem of pollution," the bench stated.

The court also urged the CAQM to ensure that the equipment provided by the Centre to help farmers manage paddy stubble was actually being used. The Centre outlined steps it had taken, including issuing advisories and guidelines to control stubble burning.

However, the bench responded, "It is all in the air, nothing has been shown regarding what has been done in the National Capital Region (NCR) states."

Ineffective boards

The court also expressed concern over the insufficient staff levels at state pollution control boards, questioning how the agencies could effectively address pollution and stubble burning during the winter season.

The sub-committee under the CAQM responsible for safeguarding and enforcement would remain ineffective without adequate representation from the pollution control boards of Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh, the bench remarked.

It ordered the five NCR states to urgently fill the vacant positions, preferably by 30 April 2025.