After the Supreme Court gave strict directions to Delhi and surrounding states over the pollution menace in the capital, the Environment Ministry on Thursday took strict decisions against stubble burners. The Central Government has doubled the fine amount for not burning stubble. If a farmer burns stubble he will have to pay double the fine.
This amount of fine will be applied to this amount of land.
Following the central government’s decision, if farmers with less than 2 acres of land burn stubble, they will have to pay Rs 5,000. Additionally, farmers with between 2 and 5 acres of land will have to pay a fine of Rs 10,000 and farmers with more than 5 acres of land will have to pay a fine of Rs 30,000. Now, the amended Air Quality Management Commission Rules, 2024 will be applicable in Delhi. These decisions taken by the Central Government will surely be implemented by the state governments of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi and Rajasthan. Complaints about stubble burning will be lodged with the Air Quality Management Commission, Union Environment Ministry and Pollution Control Boards.
Do you know what the SC had said?
In fact, in the hearing held on November 4, the Supreme Court sought a response from Punjab-Haryana by November 14 on stubble burning. Earlier, in the hearing held on October 23, the Supreme Court had given two weeks’ time to the Central Government to appoint responsible officers under the Environment Protection Act. The Supreme Court was not satisfied with the action of the Haryana government during the hearing. The bench comprising Justice Abhay S Oka, Justice A Amanullah and Justice AG Masih had termed the Haryana-Punjab government’s efforts to burn stubble as mere show-off. The Supreme Court had even said that the Centre, along with the Punjab and Haryana Government, should be reminded that living in a pollution-free environment is a fundamental right of citizens. Living in a polluted environment is a violation of the fundamental rights established in article 21.
