‘They only hold meetings’: SC reprimands Centre, Punjab, Haryana over air pollution
The apex court questioned CAQM and the Punjab and Haryana government on why it did not take penal action against farmers over stubble burning and officials involved in taking action against them.
- Oct 3, 2024,
- Updated Oct 3, 2024 3:33 PM IST
The Supreme Court rebuked the central government as well as Punjab and Haryana governments for failing to take necessary steps to tackle air pollution in Delhi. Air pollution in the winter months has turned into an annual affair in the national capital.
The apex court questioned Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) and the Punjab and Haryana government on why it did not take penal action against farmers over stubble burning and officials involved in taking action against them.
"Last meeting was August 29 and there was no discussion on stubble burning. The entire September, there was no meeting. So many pollution control board members were not present (at the meeting). It is all in the air and a total lack of sensitisation," a bench led by Justice Abhay S Oka said.
The bench said that these committees have IPS officers who can enforce rules but they did not meet after August 29. It asked if the statutory committee does not hold meetings then who will do the work of the enforcement.
"For different reasons, they do not want to prosecute anybody. It is a problem as simple as that. They do not want to take penal action but only hold meetings,” said the bench, adding that except for meetings, nothing seems to be happening.
The Punjab government said that the state needed money from the Centre and the Delhi government to pay for crop management machines as the farmers don’t have the money to pay for machines themselves. Haryana said that data on stubble burning for this year was not available as officers were busy with the upcoming Assembly polls, scheduled for October 5.
Centre said that softer provisions were deliberately used while sensitising farmers about the negative effects of stubble burning.
The apex court asked the Centre to use stricter provisions against those burning stubble and those failing to stop it. “There are directions to register FIRs under Section 15 of the Environment Protection Act. Those are drastic provisions. Where are the FIRs under these?” the court asked.
The Supreme Court said that the Centre is showing action plans and outcome of sectoral meetings but there has been implementation of its own orders. The court also took notice of the two vacant posts in the CAQM and said it would intervene if the Centre did not fill up the positions soon.
The Supreme Court rebuked the central government as well as Punjab and Haryana governments for failing to take necessary steps to tackle air pollution in Delhi. Air pollution in the winter months has turned into an annual affair in the national capital.
The apex court questioned Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) and the Punjab and Haryana government on why it did not take penal action against farmers over stubble burning and officials involved in taking action against them.
"Last meeting was August 29 and there was no discussion on stubble burning. The entire September, there was no meeting. So many pollution control board members were not present (at the meeting). It is all in the air and a total lack of sensitisation," a bench led by Justice Abhay S Oka said.
The bench said that these committees have IPS officers who can enforce rules but they did not meet after August 29. It asked if the statutory committee does not hold meetings then who will do the work of the enforcement.
"For different reasons, they do not want to prosecute anybody. It is a problem as simple as that. They do not want to take penal action but only hold meetings,” said the bench, adding that except for meetings, nothing seems to be happening.
The Punjab government said that the state needed money from the Centre and the Delhi government to pay for crop management machines as the farmers don’t have the money to pay for machines themselves. Haryana said that data on stubble burning for this year was not available as officers were busy with the upcoming Assembly polls, scheduled for October 5.
Centre said that softer provisions were deliberately used while sensitising farmers about the negative effects of stubble burning.
The apex court asked the Centre to use stricter provisions against those burning stubble and those failing to stop it. “There are directions to register FIRs under Section 15 of the Environment Protection Act. Those are drastic provisions. Where are the FIRs under these?” the court asked.
The Supreme Court said that the Centre is showing action plans and outcome of sectoral meetings but there has been implementation of its own orders. The court also took notice of the two vacant posts in the CAQM and said it would intervene if the Centre did not fill up the positions soon.