SC no to urgent hearing on plea over farm fires

New Delhi, November 10

The Supreme Court on Thursday refused to take up urgently a plea seeking ban on stubble-burning. A Bench led by CJI DY Chandrachud told advocate Shashank Shekhar Jha, “So the ban will help it? Some matters courts can look into and some they cannot since they are not judicially amenable. We have heard you and it won’t be taken up now. So, what is your solution to Delhi pollution?”

As the counsel said stubble-burning has to be banned, The Bench wondered, “Do we enforce it against every farmer? Let’s think of some genuine solutions.” Jha has sought a direction to schools, colleges and government and private offices to go online.

The lawyer alleged the problem of pollution came up every year and there was a serious threat to life and liberty due to the smog in Delhi-NCR. He sought appointment of a committee under the chairmanship of a retired SC judge to tackle the air pollution crisis due to stubble-burning.