In a significant environmental ruling, India’s Supreme Court ordered officials from Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh — states neighboring New Delhi — to prevent farmers from burning crop residues. This decision came as a response to mounting concerns over hazardous air pollution levels in New Delhi.
The court has assigned the implementation of these orders to local police stations. As part of the ruling, the states government must “ensure that crop residue burning is stopped forthwith.”
This isn’t the first legislative action taking aim at the air quality crisis in Delhi. The National Green Tribunal’s (NGT) chief bench also initiated notice of the deteriorating air pollution situation without requiring a request from any involved parties. Acting on reports from numerous newspapers on the declining air quality index, the NGT passed an order directing Delhi’s authorities to take measures in line with the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) to manage the Air Quality of India (AQI).
The government of Delhi had been making efforts to tackle pollution since June. As part of these measures, the city halted local development, shut down elementary schools until November 10, and plans to impose a car restriction policy in the upcoming week. Despite these measures, air pollution caused by crop residue burning in neighboring states remains an area of concern.
Air quality in the region, especially before the winter season, deteriorates due to the trapping of pollution from various sources such as automobiles, industry, construction dust, and particularly agricultural waste burning. Farmers in Punjab and Haryana traditionally burn crop stubble left behind after rice harvests in late October or early November aiming to quickly clear fields before wheat planting season. The federal government’s air quality-monitoring organization, SAFAR, reports that this practice contributes to approximately 30% to 40% of Delhi’s air pollution during October-November.
While the Supreme Court has issued similar orders in the past, enforcing them remains a challenge. State authorities previously cited lack of capability to control the burning. These cases, coupled with instances of farmers’ antagonism towards state officials, have limited the impact of these orders.
This continued struggle against air pollution highlights the multi-faceted and complex challenges that legal systems face when dealing with issues tied to environmental protection, public health, and agricultural practices.