Supreme Court Rebukes Panjab on Stubble Burning While Data Shows Decline

On 25 Oct, the Supreme Court of India reprimanded the Panjab and Haryana govts. for inadequate efforts to curb stubble burning, calling their actions ‘mere eyewash.’ The court noted the lack of prosecutions and low financial penalties imposed on farmers violating anti-pollution laws. The court also criticized the Central govt. for ‘toothless’ environmental laws, particularly the Commission for Air Quality Management Act of 2021, which lacks administrative mechanisms for implementation. The court questioned Panjab’s claim of prosecuting 44 individuals, noting that only $13K had been collected in fines from 417 violators. The Haryana govt. has reported only 32 cases despite acknowledging 400 fires, collecting $244K in penalties under Section 15 of the Environmental Protection Act. Despite the court’s condemnations, Panjab Agriculture Minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian claimed the state has registered a 16% decline in farm fire’s recorded up to 23 Oct compared to the same period last year. The state has seen 1,638 farm fires so far this year, with 1,946 in 2023. He noted that the decline is significant, considering the neighboring state of Haryana has only managed to reduce stubble burning by 8% in the same period. At the same time, Delhi CM Atishi claimed on 20 Oct that farm fires in BJP-ruled Haryana and Uttar Pradesh are responsible for the air pollution in the National Capital Region, stating that farm fires in AAP-led Panjab have reduced. Data shows little scientific link between Delhi’s air pollution and Panjab fires (SDW Vol 2, Issue 28, Story 4).