The Supreme Court has taken strong cognizance of a revealing investigative report by India Today, which uncovered troubling practices among officials in Punjab regarding stubble burning. The report alleged that some government officers have been advising farmers to burn stubble after specific hours, specifically post-4 PM, to evade detection by satellite monitoring systems. This revelation comes amidst worsening air pollution in Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR), with stubble burning cited as a significant contributing factor.
During the hearing, Advocate Manali Singhal and Senior Advocate Aparajita Singh presented the report to a bench led by Justice Abhay Oka. They underscored that the sting operation conducted by India Today provided compelling evidence, including admissions from government officials. The report highlighted interviews with farmers who claimed they were explicitly told by officials to time the burning of stubble after 4 PM, exploiting satellite limitations. Justice Oka, expressing concern, stated that if these claims are substantiated, it reflects a "very serious" breach of environmental regulations and judicial orders.
This development coincides with the implementation of Stage IV measures under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), a framework designed to mitigate the escalating pollution crisis in Delhi-NCR. Despite stringent directives, the Supreme Court observed that authorities had failed to enforce GRAP-IV effectively, as documented in a second report submitted by court-appointed commissioners. The court criticized the apparent lack of accountability, directing states to file affidavits outlining concrete actions they plan to take to address the specific violations detailed in the report.
The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) faced sharp criticism for issuing unclear directives that, according to the court, could create confusion among ground-level enforcers. The bench demanded the withdrawal of these ambiguous instructions and questioned why CAQM had not taken robust action against identified violators. "If such directions are issued, they will mislead everyone on the ground," the bench remarked, emphasizing the need for clear and decisive communication.
The Delhi government was also called upon to initiate disciplinary proceedings against officials implicated in the commissioners' report. Additionally, the court directed the Delhi-NCR states to respond to the issue of a firecracker ban, with the matter scheduled for further deliberation on Monday. The bench further stressed the importance of addressing air pollution beyond the NCR, urging counsel to submit a list of other heavily polluted cities across India with corresponding data. Justice Oka remarked, "We must remember that India is outside NCR states. There’s pollution in other cities as well. We should not send the wrong message that the Supreme Court is concerned only about Delhi."
The India Today investigation, which prompted these judicial observations, provided a stark insight into the ongoing crisis in Punjab. The report featured a land records officer from Sangrur, who candidly admitted to advising farmers to burn stubble after 4 PM, exploiting satellite blind spots during nighttime hours. "Satellites don't capture fires after 4 PM," the official was quoted as saying, revealing how the system is being manipulated. Despite longstanding Supreme Court directives and governmental measures to curb stubble burning, the practice remains widespread in Punjab. The findings highlight the complex interplay of factors at play: farmers, constrained by limited resources and pressing timelines, resort to burning as a cost-effective solution, while local officials, balancing directives from higher authorities and on-ground realities, often turn a blind eye or actively facilitate non-compliance.
The Supreme Court’s observations underscore the urgent need for a comprehensive and coordinated approach to tackling pollution. By addressing systemic failures and demanding accountability from state governments and agencies, the court is signaling a stronger resolve to ensure compliance with environmental regulations. The inclusion of other polluted cities in its review reflects a broader commitment to treating air pollution as a national crisis rather than a regional issue limited to Delhi-NCR.
With the next hearing scheduled for Monday, the Supreme Court is expected to evaluate the responses of the concerned authorities and consider further steps to enforce GRAP-IV measures effectively, ensure compliance with the firecracker ban, and extend its focus to other affected regions across the country. This ongoing judicial intervention serves as a critical reminder of the pressing need for systemic reform and robust enforcement mechanisms to address India's mounting air pollution challenges.
