Supreme Court Demands Accountability from Punjab and Haryana on Stubble Burning Crisis

The Supreme Court has ordered Punjab and Haryana to report on measures taken to curb stubble burning, a major contributor to air pollution in Delhi-NCR. Despite actions by the Commission for Air Quality Management, the pollution crisis persists, with inaccuracies in air quality data also being highlighted.

The Supreme Court of India has directed Punjab and Haryana to submit a detailed status report on efforts to reduce stubble burning, a significant factor in worsening Delhi-NCR's air quality.

The court observed that while the Graded Response Action Plan Phase III is in place, some argue that the dire air pollution levels necessitate implementing Phase IV instead. Concerns were raised about erroneous data from air monitoring stations as well.

This directive is part of an ongoing case that dates back to 1985, addressing air pollution in Delhi-NCR. Recently, Haryana's Fatehabad district reported multiple stubble burning incidents, prompting an official notice from the Commission for Air Quality Management.

(With inputs from agencies.)