Know why is stubble being burnt even after the ban, Supreme Court seeks answer from Air Quality Management Commission

The smoke of stubble being burnt in Delhi's neighboring state Punjab might not have reached Delhi to spoil the air of the place, but definitely the matter of stubble burning has reached the Supreme. The matter of stubble burning was raised in the Supreme Court on Tuesday.

The apex court has sought a reply on what all was being done by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to avoid air pollution due to stubble burning. It has asked what steps are being taken against those violating the ban.

The matter would be heard again by the court on Friday. On Tuesday, senior advocate Aparajita Singh, amicus curiae to the court in the air pollution case, raised the issue of stubble burning before a bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Augustine George Masih.

Aparajita said that stubble burning has started. An explanation should be sought from the Air Quality Management Commission on this. It should be asked why this is happening and what action has been taken. On her arguments, the bench told Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, appearing for the Central Government and the Air Quality Management Commission, that the court wants a reply on this by Friday.

Bhati said that the necessary information will be made available to the court. It is known that every year the level of air pollution increases with the arrival of winter in Delhi. It also increases due to the burning of stubble (crop residue) in the neighboring states of Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh.

Last year itself, the court had ordered a ban on stubble burning and ordered the states of NCR, including Delhi, to take steps to prevent air pollution and cooperate in the efforts being made in this direction. The court had asked to take both short-term and long-term measures in this regard so that a permanent solution to the problem of air pollution could be found.