Farm fires: Order on Lokur panel on hold

Satya Prakash

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, October 26

Barely 10 days after appointing Justice Madan B Lokur as a one-man panel to monitor measures taken by governments of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi to prevent farmers from resorting to stubble burning, the Supreme Court on Monday kept its order in abeyance following a request from the Centre.

A Bench headed by Chief Justice of India SA Bobde virtually stayed its October 16 order after Solicitor General Tushar Mehta submitted that the Centre would come out with a comprehensive law on air pollution in three-four days.

Govt mulling law

It’s good that the government is coming up with a law. This is an issue that anyway should have been looked into… Everyone in this city (Delhi) is choking due to bad air. —SA Bobde, Chief Justice Of India

Mehta, who had earlier expressed reservations about the committee, said the legislation was being contemplated to specifically deal with the issue of air pollution in Delhi-NCR. On behalf of PIL petitioner Aditya Dubey, senior counsel Vikas Singh objected to Mehta’s submissions. “I don’t understand the interest of the Union Government in getting the order suspended. Ultimately, it is for the benefit of the people of Delhi,” he said.

“We think our own measure should be kept in abeyance. What is your problem? After all you are a PIL petitioner,” the CJI said, posting the matter for further hearing on October 29.