CJI demands holistic action plan on NCR pollution

When Chief Justice of India (CJI) Justice Surya Kant observed that “morning walk has become difficult...” due to the deteriorating air quality in Delhi-NCR, and directed the government to file a detailed action-taken report covering all pollution sources — not just stubble burning — the debate over winter smog in the region appeared to be shifting towards a more holistic and evidence-based examination.

For years, authorities have largely pointed to Haryana and Punjab, blaming paddy straw burning as the prime cause of winter pollution. While stubble burning is undoubtedly a contributor, many experts and stakeholders insist that holding it solely responsible oversimplifies a far more complex environmental issue.

Recent data underscores the need for a broader perspective. Active fire locations in Haryana have sharply declined over the past four years: from 6,987 incidents in 2021 to 3,661 in 2022, 2,303 in 2023, 1,406 in 2024, and just 662 fires in the latest count for the current harvesting season. Despite this significant reduction, pollution levels in Delhi-NCR remain alarming — strengthening the CJI’s indication that more than stubble burning must be examined.

RTI records reveal that between 2018 and October this year, the Centre released Rs 1,156.71 crore to Haryana for Crop Residue Management (CRM). Over the past seven years, the state has distributed 1,08,729 machines for paddy residue management to individual farmers and Custom Hiring Centres (CHCs), with subsidies ranging from 50% to 70%.

However, several experts believe the current approach, heavily reliant on ex situ CRM, needs rethinking. Dr Virender Singh Lather, former Principal Scientist at ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, noted that Haryana cultivates paddy on around 1.6 million hectares and produces 10-12 million tonnes of straw annually. He said the state has been “spending thousands of crore rupees as subsidies for machinery purchases for ex situ CRM practices for the past 10-12 years.”

He argued that ex situ methods — collecting straw bundles using heavy machinery and transporting them to long distances for industrial use — pose practical and environmental challenges. “The collection and transportation of 40 crore straws bundles of 33 kg each from 40 lakh acre paddy’s fields within available short window of just 20 days is not technically advisable and also neither environmental friendly because burning of paddy’s straws in brick kilns will also cause air pollution,” he said.

Dr Lather emphasised the need for a comprehensive scientific study assessing not just stubble burning but all contributors to the region’s air pollution. “Hopeful the action-taken report sought by the Supreme Court will bring forth more data and expose all the real culprits of the pollution,” he said.