Stubble Burning
Put some farmers behind bars, will act as deterrent - SC on stubble burning
This story was originally published at 15:46 IST on 17 September 2025
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NEW DELHI – The Supreme Court on Wednesday observed that sending some farmers behind bars for stubble burning would send a strong message to others and act as a deterrent. A bench, led by Chief Justice of India B.R. Gavai, said while farmers are important for the country, it cannot mean that they are allowed to continue stubble burning unchecked.
"Why don't you (Punjab government) think of some penalty provisions? If some people are behind bars, it will send the correct message. If you have a real intention of protecting the environment, then why shy away? I had read in newspapers that this (stubble left behind by crops) can also be used as biofuels. We cannot make this a five yearly exercise. Farmers are special and we are eating because of them but it does not mean that we cannot protect the environment," said Chief Justice Gavai. The court made the statements in a case on the filling of vacant posts in the state pollution control boards and pollution control committees.
In October, the Supreme Court summoned the chief secretaries of Punjab and Haryana for failing to comply with the Commission for Air Quality Management's directives on stubble burning and air pollution. Referring to Punjab, the court had said stubble and paddy straw burning continued unabated, and the state government does not want to do anything under The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981.
Punjab's advocate general responded that implementing the commission's directions on the ground was difficult, adding that state officials were previously mistreated by locals while trying to enforce them. The apex court was hearing a case on rising air pollution levels in the Delhi-National Capital Region and the issue of stubble burning in the neighbouring states. End
Reported by Surya Tripathi
Edited by Subhojit Sarkar
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