New Delhi, Nov 16: The Supreme Court will on Monday resume hearing a plea on unchecked stubble burning that has been contributing to the sharp decline in air quality across Delhi-NCR, even as Punjab issued its implementation plan for a compensation scheme for victims of hit-and-run crashes.
A Bench led by Chief Justice B.R. Gavai, along with justices K. Vinod Chandran and N.V. Anjaria, is set to hear the matter after earlier asking Punjab and Haryana to report on the steps taken to curb farm-fire incidents. “Let Punjab and Haryana governments respond on steps taken to control stubble burning,” the CJI had said, noting that the seasonal practice continued to aggravate air-pollution levels.
On November 3, the court also directed the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to submit an affidavit explaining the actions it has taken to prevent further deterioration in Delhi-NCR. The judges, hearing the case under the broader M.C. Mehta pollution litigation, noted that officials must not wait for conditions to reach a “severe” threshold before intervening.
During earlier proceedings, amicus curiae A.D.N. Singh cited newspaper reports that several monitoring stations in Delhi were not working during the Diwali period. “If the monitoring stations are not even functioning, we don’t even know when to implement GRAP,” she said, adding that only nine of 37 stations operated continuously that day. She urged the Bench to ensure CAQM provides clearer data and a comprehensive action plan.
Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati assured the court that the concerned authorities will submit the required reports.
The upcoming hearing follows last month’s order permitting the sale and bursting of green firecrackers on a limited, time-bound basis during Diwali. The court said the relaxation—allowed only from October 18 to 20—was granted on a “test-case basis” and restricted to specified hours.
As the legal process moves forward, Punjab announced a separate welfare initiative with Transport Minister Laljit Singh Bhullar confirming the rollout of the state’s 2022 hit-and-run compensation scheme. The programme grants ₹2 lakh for deaths and ₹50,000 for grievous injuries when the vehicle involved in a crash cannot be identified.
“Victims should not be denied compensation merely because an offending vehicle remains untraceable,” Bhullar said, noting that the state would ensure timely disbursal. Officials said the scheme aims to offer critical support to families often left without recourse after such incidents.
Bhullar added that the state was committed to both public-welfare measures and compliance with environmental directives. “We have to move ahead on all fronts—citizen safety and environmental responsibility go hand in hand,” he noted.
