New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday lambasted the central government, as well as the governments of Punjab and Haryana, for not doing enough to control air pollution in Delhi, especially with worsening conditions expected. The top court further pointed out that instead of taking action, the authorities are only organizing meetings, and progress has not been seen on the ground.
The apex court raised the question of why the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) and the governments of Punjab and Haryana failed to take strict action against farmers involved in stubble burning or the officials responsible for enforcing the rules. The court further added that the last meeting was held on August 29, and there was no discussion about stubble burning in September. Many pollution control board members didn’t attend the meeting, showing a lack of seriousness about the issue.
The court noted that even though committees include senior police officers who can enforce the rules, no meetings were held after August 29. They also criticized the reluctance to prosecute anyone, saying that without penal actions, no real change would happen.
The Punjab government argued that they need financial support from the central and Delhi governments to provide farmers with machines for managing crop stubble, as farmers can’t afford them on their own. Meanwhile, the Haryana government said that stubble burning data for this year wasn’t available because officers were busy with the upcoming elections.
The central government admitted that only mild penalties were being used while trying to educate farmers about the harms of stubble burning. The Supreme Court urged the center to take stricter actions.
