NEW DELHI, Nov 11 (NNN-PTI) – India’s Supreme Court said yesterday that, stubble burning in states neighbouring Delhi, especially Punjab, needs to be stopped, to reduce the pollution level in the National Capital Territory (NCT) and its outskirts.
The court’s observation came, while hearing a batch of petitions related to air pollution in the Delhi-NCR.
“We want farm fires stopped, we want air quality to get better, and we want long-term measures for crop replacement,” the court told the state and federal governments. “If you don’t, we will summon the chief secretaries and keep them here till they find a solution.”
It urged the governments to encourage crops that do not leave behind stubble that will require burning.
On Thursday the federal government asked the Punjab state to take effective steps to prevent further stubble burning, in the remaining days of the ongoing harvest season.
Authorities in Delhi shut down schools and suspended local sports tournaments and events, as air pollution was in the “severe” category level, over the past few days.
Delhi is among the most polluted cities in the world. Officials blame the stubble burning in neighbouring states of Punjab and Haryana for the increasing air pollution in the capital.– NNN-PTI
