'Nothing Is Happening': Supreme Court Raps Centre, Punjab and Haryana Over Delhi Air Pollution

The Supreme Court of India addressed Delhi's annual air pollution problem and questioned the central government and the state governments of Punjab and Haryana as to why no action had been taken.

The matter was heard by a bench comprising of Justices AS Oka, A Amanullah and AG Masih. While hearing the matter, the top court criticised the three governments and said that "the harsh reality is that everybody knows that except discussion, nothing is happening."

The apex court went on to criticise the Commission for Air Quality Management and stated that the air quality panel had not made sufficient efforts to prevent stubble burning.

The Supreme Court bench further stated that CAQM has not launched a single prosecution against incidents of stubble burning in the National Capital Region and its adjoining areas.

"If statutory committee does not hold meetings then who else will do the work of enforcement? So many pollution control board members were not present (in the meeting). It is all in the air, total lack of sensitisation,” the Supreme Court observed as per a report by Bar and Bench.

After Thursday's hearing, the court has directed Centre and the CAQM to file affidavits within the next seven days and has posted the next hearing for October 16.

Meanwhile, the Punjab and Haryana governments were slammed for only "exacting nominal compensation from the farmers who were burning the stubble".

"The problem is the machine is available, it is being given free of cost to the farmer who wants to use it. The farmer is not being able to use it because 70 per cent of farmers in Punjab have less than 10 acres of land. (He) will have to employ a driver and use diesel in that machine which they are not willing to do," the court stated.

In response to this, the state government proposed that the farmers should be provided with the cost of running these machines, which was criticised further by the top court.

"So you are trying to tell us that we will do nothing unless we get money from the central government of India? Unless penal action starts at the grassroots level, this issue will not be resolved."