The Supreme Court on Thursday directed the procurement price of crop stubble popularly known as “parali” be fixed at an advance intimation, which will help in mitigating the air pollution situation in the NCR region of Delhi.
The court had also outlined the need for effective stubble management system to be reached by gram panchayats as part of the tasks of an effective system.
The three-judge Bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant, and Justices Joymalya Bagchi, V Mohana was listening to a petition relating to deteriorating air quality in the NCR.
Court Questions Pollution Control Measures
At the hearing, the Chief Justice noted that the more orders made the more non-compliant situations would arise.
Pollution in the area remained in the severe category and the court was thus helped by senior advocate Aparajita Singh who appeared before the court as Amicus Curiae.
She warned that poor air quality negatively impacting public health and urged all necessary actions to address the various sources of pollution.
The court noted the rainfall which had helped reduce the levels of pollution and hoped that farm fires had reduced in numbers given that the time was pointing to the next sowing.
Stubble Burning Not the Only Concern
Singh informed the court that stubble burning accounted for about 14 per cent of the air pollution in Delhi and only exacerbated an already soaring air quality issue.
Also by her, she also drew attention to the importance of controlling other sources such as waste burning and local pollution.
The Supreme Court had raised the question as to whether fires were being viewed as the only reason behind the crisis on the farms.
The bench also questioned about urban pollution and pointed out if private vehicles and the pollution produced by the affluent segment of the society play a major role in worsening the air quality scenario in Delhi-NCR.
The issue is before the court and it is hoped that the authorities will take action to combat the pollution problem in the area.