'Farmers portrayed as villains': SC questions Punjab's stubble burning approach
The Supreme Court on Tuesday rapped the Punjab, Delhi, and Uttar Pradesh governments for failing to curb stubble burning. It said farmers were portrayed as villains and not given a voice in court. It questioned the Punjab government over not providing free machinery, diesel, and manpower for crop residue management, asking it to follow Haryana's example of offering financial incentives to farmers. It also requested Attorney General R Venkataramani to investigate methods to discourage paddy cultivation and promote alternative crops.
Why does this story matter?
The SC is hearing petitions about the air pollution in Delhi and neighboring areas. The burning of paddy stubble has been termed a major contributor to the deteriorating air quality, while the governments in Delhi and the surrounding Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh have passed the buck. On November 7, the SC rapped the Punjab government, directing it to stop stubble burning "anyhow." To prevent stubble burning, the government imposed penalties against farmers, while 1,000 FIRs have been registered.
FIRs, penalties, red entries for stubble burning
The SC noted that the Punjab government held 8,481 meetings with farmers and farm leaders to persuade them against burning paddy straws. After the hearing on November 7, the Punjab Police registered 1,084 FIRs against farmers and imposed penalties of Rs. 1.87 crore in 7,990 cases. They also made red entries in the revenue records of 340 farmers, Special Director General of Police Arpit Shukla said. However, the SC emphasized finding better solutions, noting that farm fires have not subsided.
Farmers protest with stubble-laden trollies across Punjab
At least 18 farmers-labor outfits under the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (apolitical) launched a protest by carrying stubble in trollies to 34 places across Punjab, including offices of deputy commissioners and sub-divisional magistrates, on Monday. They demanded the withdrawal of cases and penalties while seeking a long-term solution. Notably, the Punjab Pollution Control Board recorded 35,093 stubble-burning incidents from September 15 to November 20. Earlier, the Punjab government said there was a 35-45% reduction in stubble-burning incidents from 2022.
SC warns of paddy's long-term disastrous impact on land, water
Moreover, the SC observed Punjab's land was gradually becoming arid due to its depleting water table and said the farmers should understand the consequences of growing paddy. The SC called on the Centre and state governments to set aside politics and collaborate to prevent land from drying up and water from vanishing. In the previous hearing, it suggested the Centre stop the minimum support price (MSP) for paddy in Punjab and make farmers shift to other crops such as millet.
SC directs UP, Delhi governments to take action
The SC also directed the Bharatiya Janata Party's UP government and the Aam Aadmi Party's Delhi government to address pollution and submit a report to the court on the steps taken. The court said that pointing fingers will not alleviate pollution, as it is the people who continue to suffer. The SC also requested the Cabinet secretary's committee to examine the issue of construction at private sites. The next hearing on the air pollution case is set for December 5.
