Taking note of the surge in farm-fires, the Supreme Court on Wednesday issued a strong rebuke to the governments of Punjab and Haryana over their continued failure to tackle stubble burning, a major contributor to air pollution in the Delhi-NCR region during the winter months.
The court noted the rising incidents of crop residue fires and accused both states of neglecting their duty to prosecute violators and curb the harmful practice. As a result, the Chief Secretaries of both states have been summoned to appear before the court on October 23 to provide explanations.
A bench comprising Justices Abhay S. Oka, Ahsanuddin Amanullah, and Augustine George Masih expressed displeasure with the lack of punitive action against farmers involved in stubble burning. The top court highlighted that while 267 fire incidents had been reported based on data from ISRO protocols, only 122 violators faced any legal action. The court found that fines were imposed on merely 103 offenders, with just 14 FIRs filed under Section 233 of the BNS, and complaints under the Air Act of 1981 filed against only five individuals.
The Punjab government came under severe criticism after admitting to having made misleading statements during a previous hearing on October 3. The state’s Advocate General conceded that no proposal had been submitted to the Central Government for funding to provide tractors, drivers, and diesel to small farmers, contrary to earlier claims. The court expressed deep displeasure over this false statement, which had been officially recorded in the previous order.
The bench further noted that the Haryana government had failed to implement any penal action as mandated by a directive issued by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) on June 10, 2021. The court ordered that officials responsible for non-compliance be held accountable, urging CAQM to take stricter measures to enforce the law.
“This is complete insensitivity being shown by the state and the Chief Secretary. Is the Secretary acting at someone else’s behest? If so, we will summon them as well. What is the hesitation in prosecuting people?” the bench remarked during the hearing.
The court’s disappointment extended to the Punjab government’s overall performance in curbing stubble burning. Over the past three years, no significant prosecutions had been carried out, and the government failed to pursue sufficient funds from the Centre to support alternative measures for farmers.
Despite assurances from both states, the incidents of stubble burning continue to rise. Haryana alone reported 573 fires in the past month, with 14 new cases reported just on Wednesday, a figure expected to rise as the paddy harvesting season peaks.