New Delhi: Farm fires only have a 10 per cent share in Delhi’s severe pollution, the central government today told the Supreme Court in a hearing on the air quality crisis in India’s capital.
The contribution of stubble-burning – or burning of farm waste — to Delhi’s air pollution is 10 per cent, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the Supreme Court, stating that industry and road dust played a big role.
“Are you agreeing in principle that stubble burning is not the major cause,” Justice Surya Kant asked the Centre, also questioning whether the “hue and cry” was without scientific and legal basis.
When the Centre’s lawyer accepted it, the judge noted that there was “no point in the Delhi government affidavit” as they are “only blaming farmers”.
The Centre’s affidavit, in fact, cites a scientific study to say that only 4 per cent in PM 2.5 in Delhi is because of agricultural burning in winters and 7 per cent in summers. PM 2.5 describes suspended particles that are less than 2.5 micrometres.
“Now cat is out of the bag. Farmers’ stubble burning is contributing only 4%. It’s insignificant,” remarked Justice DY Chandrachud.
Delhi government was pulled up by the judges for “lame excuses” and “passing the buck” by the court, which said the capital’s air pollution was a “crisis”.
The Supreme Court said in its order that “the major culprit of pollution” is industry, transport and road dust and “some part” is stubble burning.
“While stubble burning is not the major cause, there is a lot of stubble burning happening in Punjab and Haryana. We request state governments to pursue farmers to stop the burning for a week,” Chief Justice NV Ramana said, reading out the order.
