The Delhi pollution case was heard in the Supreme Court on Friday. The court reprimanded the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) for not taking effective measures against stubble burning.
The court said that there is a state of emergency due to pollution. CAQM was asked if there has been any reduction in stubble burning. Why don't you take effective action against stubble burners? Why are not regular meetings held?
The court asked whether any action has been taken under Section 14 of the CAQM Act. Everything is on paper and you are a silent spectator.
These provisions will remain only on paper if they do not send a message that strict action will be taken if the law is violated. You say whether Delhi's air quality has improved or not.
During the last hearing on August 27, the court said that the Delhi-NCR Pollution Control Board is not functioning properly due to lack of staff.
The court ordered the five states to fill up the vacant posts by April 30, 2025, so that pollution can be controlled.
The case is being heard by a bench of Justice Abhay S Oka and Justice AG Masih.
CAQM's answer- More than 10 thousand factories closed CAQM president Rajesh Verma said that since the formation of the committee, they have issued 82 legislative orders and 15 recommendations. His team has inspected 19,000 sites and ordered the closure of more than 10,000 factories.
The court on this said that CAQM has been in existence for three years, but it has issued only 82 instructions. Such action is not enough. The commission needs to be more proactive. The Commission should ascertain whether its instructions are reducing the pollution problem or not.
In fact, the Central Government formed the CAQM in 2021. It is designed to tackle the growing pollution problem in Delhi-NCR and surrounding areas.
Delhi pollution, Supreme Court slams 3 governments In November last year, the Supreme Court had asked the Delhi and Punjab governments what steps they were taking to curb the pollution problem.
Along with this, the Supreme Court showed sympathy towards the farmers of Punjab. The court said that farmers who burn stubble are made villains. No one listens to their side. Farmers should have reasons to burn stubble.
The Punjab Government should provide assistance to them to stop them from burning stubble. The court slammed the governments of Delhi, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh and said that this has been the most polluted November in the last six years. We know the problem and it's your job to fix it.
The court told the governments of Delhi, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh that it is your job to find a solution to the pollution problem.
Court said- AAP governments of Delhi and Punjab should take steps to stop pollution A bench of Justices SK Kaul and S Dhulia asked the Punjab and Delhi governments to take strict action against stubble burning, which adds to pollution in Delhi.
This is not the first time that the Supreme Court has raised the issue of blaming farmers from all sides in pollution cases, but their side has not been represented in the hearing. The court also said that the Punjab government should help farmers to stop stubble burning. Punjab government should learn from Haryana government.
This is not the first time that the Supreme Court has raised the issue that farmers are being blamed from all sides for pollution.
The Punjab government said in the court – a fine of 2 crore rupees on stubble burners During the hearing, the Attorney General of Punjab said that we have registered 1 thousand FIRs on stubble burning and imposed a fine of 2 crore rupees. We are putting out sweat fires, but people are taking to the streets to protest.
The Attorney General said that people taking to the streets is a problem. This is a law and order situation. We are still putting out the fire at midnight. Strict measures will be taken from the beginning of the next season. After hearing the parties, the Supreme Court has scheduled the next hearing of the case on December 7.
Now know why the Supreme Court said – learn from Haryana A stubble ex-situ management policy has been implemented in Haryana. In this, crop residues are removed from the field and managed under ex-situ. About 30 lakh tonnes of paddy husk is produced in Haryana every year. Under this policy, electricity, biogas, bio-CNG, bio-fertilizer, bio-fuel and ethanol are produced from paddy straw. Farmers are being subsidized on agricultural implements and machinery for cutting, gathering, baling, storing and transporting paddy straw to straw-based industries and plants.
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