'Nobody should fall sick': Supreme Court stands tough on stubble burning

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Thursday deferred hearing on a PIL over stubble burning in the neighbouring states of Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh till November 6 after the Centre informed a bench headed by Chief Justice of India SA Bobde that that it has already promulgated an ordinance to curb air pollution in Delhi and NCR.

“We would like to look at the ordinance before passing any order. Even the petitioners would like to see,” said the bench.

“Nobody should fall sick because of this pollution and if anybody falls sick, we will make you responsible,” the bench told Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who informed the bench about the Centre’s move to bring in an ordinance.

On October 16, the court had appointed a one-man committee headed by Justice (retd) Madan B. Lokur to take steps for prevention of stubble burning in the three states, but stayed its operation days later after the Centre assured that it’s coming up with a law.

Opposing the stay on the Lokur panel, senior advocate Vikas Singh, who appeared for the petitioners — a Class XII student and a law student — said the law would be of no use and the air quality would further deteriorate in a week as he stressed on the urgent need to stop stubble burning. The top court, however, told him “this is not an adversarial litigation”.

“Some experts have informed us informally that it is not only stubble burning that creates pollution,” CJI Bobde said, and added in a lighter vein that it’s time to take out the bicycles.

“We would like you to stop using your beautiful cars, which you won’t. We should all go about on bikes — not motorbikes but bicycles.”