The Supreme Court on Thursday criticized the Punjab and Haryana governments for their sluggish efforts in addressing the recurring issue of stubble burning, a major contributor to air pollution in northern India. The bench, comprised of Justices Abhay S Oka and Augustine George Masih, emphasized the need for a robust mechanism to monitor and mitigate this problem consistently.
During the hearing, the justices proposed an exhaustive discussion involving all stakeholders to explore long-term solutions and address the root causes of stubble burning, which they linked to delayed sowing practices. “Every year this problem cannot arise. From the data available, we can say both states are very slow in taking action against farmers,” the bench stated, highlighting the need for proactive and sustained measures.
The court also took note of a media report from Punjab, where it was alleged that a land record officer and the president of the Sangrur Block Patwari Union advised farmers to burn stubble after 4 PM to evade detection by satellites. Describing this as a “very serious” issue, the justices directed Punjab state officials to prevent such practices that exploit timing gaps in satellite monitoring to continue illegal burning.
Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, representing the Centre, informed the court that the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) was developing protocols to improve the monitoring of stubble burning. The Supreme Court underscored the importance of using geostationary satellites for real-time and comprehensive data collection, as opposed to the limited time windows currently provided by NASA’s polar-orbiting satellites.
In a significant move on November 18, the court had directed the Centre and the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to procure and utilize data from ISRO’s geostationary satellites to enhance the monitoring capabilities and ensure effective implementation of measures to curb stubble burning.
