• Source:JND
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SC On Delhi AQI: The Supreme Court of India on Monday made a key observation during the hearing on Delhi’s worsening air quality, maintaining that farmers ‘need to be sensitised’ and should be given the required machinery to avoid stubble burning rather than being blamed.

The Supreme Court bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, which is hearing the Delhi pollution matter, said stubble burning must not be politicised or turned into a matter of ego, adding that Delhi’s air quality issue can not be treated seasonal formality.

“Delhi pollution matter cannot be listed customarily in October, and we will be taking it up regularly," the CJI said, adding that the air quality improvement was registered because the matter was heard.

Holding accountable to the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) and the Centre, CJI added, “None of us can sit idle. We can’t presume that there’s no solution to this problem."

Stubble Burning: SC Asks CAQM To Introspect

The court further directed the CAQM to analyse its steps taken so far to curb worsening air pollution and to submit the short-term and long-term plans to improve the city’s air quality.

“Ask a question to yourself, has your action plan improved the situation?" the CJI asked the commission to introspect whether ‘legitimate expectations’ were met or not.

Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati told the Supreme Court that the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has spoken to all state governments and prepared detailed plans to tackle the main causes of pollution. These include stubble burning, vehicle smoke, construction dust, road dust, and garbage/biomass burning.

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CJI Question Stubble Burning As Key Reason

The court stated that farm fire was overemphasised, as CJI observed, “We don’t want to comment on stubble burning as it’s easy to pass off the burden on those who are hardly represented before us. It has become a thing where you can conveniently put the blame on that."

Talking about stubble burning as a reason behind the capital’s deteriorating air quality, the court said, “Stubble burning was there during Covid times, but still, why was there a blue sky? Someone will have to answer."

Demanding a science-backed solution, the SC bench backed farmers, saying, “Which one is the biggest one? That needs to be identified.” The bench added ‘Farmers only need to be sensitised. We need to provide certain machines,’ rather than being blamed.

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Delhi Air Pollution: SC Asks Centre To Report Within a Week

The Supreme Court has given the Centre one week to submit a report on what steps it has taken to control pollution from sources other than stubble burning (like vehicles, construction, dust, and garbage burning).

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