When the air got bad in Delhi, the Supreme Court scolded the Center and also reprimanded Haryana and Punjab.

New Delhi: The Supreme Court reprimanded the Central Government regarding the increasing pollution in the country’s capital Delhi. The Supreme Court said that by amending the Environment Protection Act, the government has made it ‘toothless’. The Center is not taking any strict action against the pollution caused by stubble burning in the states neighboring Delhi. Only minor fine is being collected. Representing the central government, Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Aishwarya Bhati assured the court that the rules would be finalized within 10 days and the Act would be fully implemented.

We will hold the Center responsible – Supreme Court

The Supreme Court said that we will hold the Central Government responsible because it has not made any system. The Environmental Protection Act has become weak. By amending Section 15, you have removed the punishment and imposed a fine in its place. The procedure for imposing fines may not be followed. Section 15 of the Act prescribes punishment for contravention of its provisions.

SC raised questions if Delhi’s air is poisonous

The top court also directed the Central government to amend the law to increase the environment compensation cess to be imposed on violators. The ASG said show cause notices have been issued to the Secretary (Environment) and Additional Chief Secretary (Agriculture) of both Punjab and Haryana. The ASG also said that within 10 days, Section 15 will be fully implemented.

It’s all politics and nothing else – Supreme Court

The Supreme Court raised questions on this and said that if these state governments and the Center were really ready to protect the environment, everything would have been done even before the amendment in Section 15. This is all politics, nothing else. On Wednesday, the air quality in the national capital was recorded in the ‘very poor’ category, with it even reaching the ‘severe’ category in many areas. At the beginning of winter, stubble burning in Haryana and Punjab is considered a major reason for the increase in pollution levels in Delhi.

Punjab-Haryana government also pulled up

The court pulled up Punjab and Haryana over the fine imposed on stubble burning. The apex court has dismissed as ‘just lip service’ the efforts of Punjab and Haryana to curb incidents of stubble burning. In the previous hearing, the top court had rapped Punjab and Haryana for failing to take punitive action against those violating the ban on stubble burning.

Why no action against those who burn stubble: SC

The top court noted that the Punjab government has not registered even a single case against those who burn stubble. The court also reprimanded the Chief Secretary of Punjab for giving false statement to the Advocate General of Punjab. The court said that you will have to answer why you gave a false statement to the Advocate General of Punjab that money has been requested from the Central Government for tractors and diesel for farmers. We will file a contempt case. We will not leave you.

What did Punjab government lawyer Singhvi say?

On this, lawyer Abhishek Singhvi, appearing for Punjab, said that as we move forward we will take more strict action. The Supreme Court also criticized Punjab for charging a fine of only Rs 2,500 from farmers who burn stubble. The state said the amount was decided by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM). The court said that by paying such a small amount, the farmers are being given the right to violate. This is incredible. You are signaling to violators that nothing will be done against them. This has been happening for the last three years. The Supreme Court will hear this matter after the Diwali vacation.