Stubble burning has to stop; it is a substantial contributor to air pollution: Supreme Court

The Supreme Court on Tuesday opined that the practice of stubble burning by farmers in the northern States of Punjab, Haryana and Western Uttar Pradesh should be stopped since it contributes significantly to air pollution in the northern region of the country, including the national capital Delhi..Stubble burning refers to the practice of farmers setting fire to straw stubble which remain in fields after the harvest of grains like wheat and paddy. The stubble is burnt to prepare the fields for the next set of crops. It is the easiest and cheapest way to clear the fields but leads to drastic dip in air quality.A Division Bench of Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Sudhanshu Dhulia expressed concerns about Delhi's continued exposure to hazardous air quality.The Court acknowledged that while stubble burning may not be the sole cause of air pollution, it remains a substantial contributor. The Court, therefore, opined that it must be halted one way or another. Delhi cannot continue in its present state, the Court added. ."Stubble burning must go", Justice Dhulia said."We are not saying it is the only contributor but it is a substantial one," added Justice Kaul..As an interim solution, the Court directed that the local Station House Officer (SHO) be made responsible for addressing stubble burning incidents with oversight from the Chief Secretary of the concerned State.The Court also took note of a suggestion that ethanol could be made with stubble from paddy crops (instead of burning it)..The Court was hearing an application in matter concerning various environmental issues. .In today's hearing advocate Aparajita Singh referred to a Air Quality Management (AQM) report which highlighted the persistence of fires each year.Senior Advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan emphasized that the timing of the stubble burning may be the primary issue. Further, he stated that paddy should not have been grown in Punjab as it has reduced groundwater levels..Apart from flagging concerns over stubble burning emissions as a pollutant, the Court also questioned whether the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for paddy should be discontinued. ."The crop is destroying the water table of the State. The problem just goes on each year," the Court remarked..The Court further noted that while the government was promoting millets on one hand, it was also letting paddy ruin groundwater in the State.The Court proceeded to observe that adherence to the Punjab Preservation of Subsoil Water Act was creating problems in the State. It noted that paddy was not native to the State, and that a switch to alternative crops may only occur if Minimum Support Price (MSP) is not given for paddy, aligning with the Central government's aim to encourage the cultivation of traditional crops like millets.The matter will be heard next on November 10. .[Read order]