‘Easy to blame farmers’: SC questions if stubble burning alone is reason for Delhi pollution

The Supreme Court on Monday questioned whether stubble burning alone could explain the severe air pollution affecting Delhi and the broader National Capital Region, and asked for a clearer assessment of the contribution of other pollutants, Bar and Bench reported.

A Bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi said it was “easy to blame farmers” who were not represented before the court and noted that stubble burning had taken place “as usual” during the Covid-19 lockdown but the pollution crisis was not as severe.

“During COVID, stubble burning happened as usual, but we could still see blue skies and stars…,” the court remarked. “Something to be thought about and other factors.”

The Bench then directed the Commission for Air Quality Management to submit a report within a week on measures taken to address additional pollution sources, including vehicular emissions and construction dust, Hindustan Times reported.

“It could come easy to put the blame on farmers and stubble burning, but there are vehicular emissions and construction dust as well,” the newspaper quoted Kant as saying. “Stubble burning cannot become an issue of politics or ego. Farmers need to be apprised and supported.”

Besides, the court asked the air quality monitoring body to explain which of its directives had produced results on the...

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