New Delhi, 31st March —The Supreme Court has dismissed a plea seeking strict measures against stubble burning in Punjab and Haryana, stating that the application lacked specific details.
A bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan, while rejecting the petition, remarked, “When this court has passed several orders on stubble burning and is still seized of the matter, we do not want to encourage different parties to file applications for intervention and directions, only for the sake of it.”
The plea, filed by environmental activist Vikrant Tongad, argued that stubble burning during April-May endangers public health not only in Delhi-NCR but also in the states where the practice occurs. It stated that children and the elderly are particularly vulnerable.
Tongad’s petition also raised concerns over the larger issue of air pollution, calling it a “perennial national crisis” that infringes on the fundamental rights of millions under Articles 14, 19, and 21 of the Constitution.
The plea further contended that despite repeated directives from the court over the years, government agencies and stakeholders have failed to protect public health and the environment.
