'Cat’s out of bag': Supreme Court on Centre’s data of stubble burning

Heavy smog near the presidential palace, in Delhi, on Monday. Pic/AFP

"Hue and cry" over farmers' stubble burning is without any scientific and factual basis, the Supreme Court said on Monday after the Centre said that it contributes only 10 per cent to air pollution in Delhi-NCR.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, said, "We have come to the con-clusion that stubble burning is not the major cause of pollution and it contributes to only 10 per cent of the air pollution." Reacting on his submission, a three-judge bench of Chief Justice N V Ramana, Justices D Y Chandrachud and Surya Kant said, "Are you agreeing that stubble burning is not the main cause? That hue and cry has no scientific or factual basis?"

Referring to the affidavit filed by the Centre, the SC said 75 per cent of the air pollution is due to three factors - industry, dust and transport. It directed the Centre to call an emergency meeting on Tuesday with Punjab, Delhi, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh, and sought an action plan to curb the air pollution in Delhi-NCR.

"In fact now the cat is out of the bag, the farmers' stubble burning contributes to only 4 per cent of the pollution as per the chart. So we are targeting something which is totally insignificant. It is unfortunate that we have to set the agenda... Ask the committee created and decide how to implement the action plan by tomorrow evening," the SC said.

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