By Tanisha Mohanty
The Supreme Court issued an arrest of farmers for stubble burning on Wednesday, holding them responsible for a spike in pollution in the winter months every year. The order was directed at the State Pollution Boards.
Stubble burning is one the major causes for releasing excess toxins in North India. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) will soon be taking punitive measures. CJI B R Gavai and Justice K Vinod Charan said, “The govts must adopt a carrot and stick policy.”
Furthermore, the bench added, “farmers are special and we are eating because of them but it does not mean that we cannot protect the environment,” pressing action against the farmers. Stubble burning includes burning the residual crop in between the sowing season, which the farmers do to clear their land.
The bench questioned why the prosecution laws under the Environmental Protection Act (EPA) had been terminated, urging the CAQM to reimplement them. CJI Gavai also stated that the stubble crop could be utilized as bio-fuel.
Stubble burnings have significantly reduced–from 17,000 in 2023 to 11,000 in 2024– and the numbers would hopefully reduce this year. Moreover, farmers who own land up to one hectare might suffer, as stated advocate Rahul Mehra, from Punjab, addressing the apex court.
The SC reassured the arrests were only precautionary in nature; a warning for other farmers and will not be carried out on a wider scale, especially in the northern states. Amicus Curiae Aparajita Singh contested the claim, stating that despite subsidies and continuous orders, the stubble burnings have not reduced.
“Farmers have even reported that they are asked to burn stubble when satellites do not pass over their fields. Since 2018, extensive orders have been passed by this court and yet the State only pleads helplessness,” Singh added.
The SC previously summoned the Chief Secretaries of Punjab and Haryana regarding the same in 2024. The court also urged the state boards to fill up the vacant posts, in preparation for the upcoming winter pollution.