The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed the governments of Punjab, Rajasthan and Haryana to take immediate steps for the prevention and stopping of stubble burning by farmers, noting that burning of parali was one of the major contributors to air pollution.
The Bench of Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia ordered that a meeting be held on Wednesday between the States of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan to ensure that crop burning was stopped immediately.
The Bench further directed the Delhi government to ensure that municipal solid waste was not burnt in the city during the open.
Coming down heavily on the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCTD), it said the smog towers installed by the AAP-led government in the national capital as per the earlier directions, were not working.
It directed the Delhi government to immediately repair the smog towers, while calling the situation ludicrous.
Noting that stopping stubble burning was the job of the Delhi government, the Apex Court strictly told the Delhi government to take measures from today onwards for the same.
The Apex Court further told Advocate General of Punjab Gurminder Singh, appearing for GNCTD, that the Aam Aadmi Party government must stop the fire, whether by forceful actions or by incentives.
The administration must take immediate steps. The local SHO must be held responsible, it added.
The Attorney General of Punjab, while agreeing that immediate steps were required to stop crop burning, said that farmers were burning the stubble on account of economic reasons.
As an alternative solution, he suggested the Central government to provide subsidies for the required facilities.
The Counsel for Punjab further said that paddy cultivation must be phased out to be substituted with other crops. The Centre must explore the options for giving Minimum Support Price (MSP) for other crops rather than for paddy, it added.
The Bench noted in its order that a switchover to alternative crops other than paddy (which was not a native crop of Punjab), was required to ensure that the problem of stubble burning did not recur. The switch over could occur only if MSP was not given to paddy and given to other crops.
It further took in view the fact that the Central Government was pursuing a policy to encourage growing traditional crops.
The Bench directed all stakeholders to act promptly in respect of the aforesaid aspects.
It further directed the Cabinet Secretary to call for a meeting tomorrow itself with all stakeholders on this issue. It also directed the State of Punjab to strictly implement the Punjab Preservation of Subsoil Water Act 2009.
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