‘Only Lip Service’: Supreme Court Pulls Up Haryana, Punjab Over Inaction As Stubble Burning Continues

The Supreme Court on Wednesday came down heavily on the Haryana and Punjab governments for not taking action against farmers engaging in stubble burning causing an increase in air pollution across North India, including Delhi.

The top court summoned the Haryana and Punjab chief secretaries to appear before it on October 23 and submit an explanation. The court asked, “Only lip service is being done. What’s the hesitation?”

A bench of Justices Abhay S Oka, Ahsanuddin Amanullah, and Augustine George Masih directed the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to take penal action against Haryana and Punjab government officials for failure to take action against the violators. The bench aslo asked why Haryana nominees to the CAQM did not attend meetings.

Justice Abhay S Oka said, “We see that the affidavit by Haryana is full of non-compliance. We direct the Commission to take penal action against state officers.”

The top court said CAQM has become a toothless tiger and asked Haryana and Punjab to change their state representatives.

SC Questions Punjab Govt

The Supreme Court said, “This is not a political matter. If chief secretary is acting at somebody’s behest, we will issue summons against them as well. Next Wednesday we are going to physically call chief secretary and explain everything. Nothing has been done, same is with Punjab government. The attitude is of complete defiance,” the bench said.

Slamming the Punjab government, the top court said not even a single prosecution has been carried out in the past three years.

It said no endeavour has been made by the Punjab government to seek funds from the Centre for ensuring tractors to farmers.

The court told the Punjab Advocate General to ask the state chief secretary why he gave a wrong statement and misled the court.

The court added, “You are not bothered about nodal commissions.”

Punjab Advocate General replied, “Farmers are causing a lot of law-and-order situations in the state.”

Responding to the Punjab AG’s statement, the court said, “Burning of paddy straw or stubble burning is going on and you don’t want to do anything under the Air Prevention Act, 1981. Air is getting polluted.”

The apex court had earlier rapped CAQM over its failure to curb air pollution in Delhi due to crop residue burning in the neighbouring states and said it needs to be more active in its approach.