The Supreme Court of India, led by Chief Justice Surya Kant, took a firm stand on the Delhi air pollution crisis, emphasizing that stubble burning should not be politicized. During the hearing on Monday, the Chief Justice acknowledged that stubble burning occurred even during the Covid-19 lockdown period when the capital saw remarkably clear skies, highlighting that the issue involves multiple factors beyond just seasonal agricultural practices.

The bench underscored that the matter of air quality in Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) cannot be treated as a mere seasonal formality. “Delhi pollution matter cannot be listed customarily in October, and we will be taking it up regularly,” the CJI remarked, stressing the importance of continuous judicial oversight. The court credited improvement in air quality to the attention given to the issue in the Supreme Court, underlining the need for persistent accountability.

Calling on the Centre and the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to adopt science-driven approaches, Chief Justice Kant urged stakeholders not to remain passive. “None of us can sit idle. We can’t presume that there’s no solution to this problem,” he said, demanding actionable and effective measures to address pollution from all sources, both stubble burning and others.

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The court has also directed the central government to submit a detailed report within one week outlining initiatives taken to control pollution from non-stubble sources. The Chief Justice emphasized the importance of identifying the biggest contributors to air pollution through scientific assessment, making it clear that solutions must be data-based rather than politically driven.

Finally, while acknowledging the challenges faced by farmers, the court reiterated the government’s responsibility to support them by providing machinery and sensitization programs, promoting environmentally friendly alternatives to stubble burning.

Also Read: SAFAR Monitoring Shows Delhi Air Quality in “Very Poor” Category Until Nov 28