Delhi Pollution: ”Some Expeditious Action In The Matter Is Called For…The Prevailing Condition Was Like An Emergency”, Chief Justice Dipak Misra

The Supreme Court today issued notice to the Centre, Delhi government and national capital’s neighboring states of Punjab, UP and Haryana on a PIL which sought urgent steps to curb stubble burning and dust control

”Some expeditious action in the matter is called for…the prevailing condition was like an emergency”, the bench headed by chief justice Dipak Misra said .

The remarks came as  Supreme Court lawyer RK Kapoor mentioned the matter before the CJI bench seeking its direction to control pollution in the national capital and surrounding areas.

Kapoor said that rise in dust particles on roads and stubble burning in Delhi's neighbouring states like Haryana and Punjab have led to an alarming rise in pollution levels in the NCR and its adjoining areas.

Kapoor argued that the stubble burning could have been avoided if the Centre and the states concerned had agreed on a formula to share the burden of a newly finalised financial incentive package to dissuade farmers from burning their crops.

"Available satellite images indicate that the enforcement of ban on stubble burning in farmlands of Punjab, Haryana and parts of Uttar Pradesh has not been fully implemented and there has been significant level of stubble burning”, Kapoor’s petition said.

"The incidents of stubble burning increase during the post harvesting period as farmers prepare their fields for next sowing season," he said.

The hearing comes at a time when the pollution in Delhi/NCR worsened after a small respite over last two days.