The Supreme Court on Saturday expressed grave concerns about the dire situation caused by deteriorating air quality in Delhi saying that the situation is bad that judges are forced to wear masks at home (Aditya Dubey v. Union of India)..A special Bench comprising Chief Justice of India NV Ramana, and Justices DY Chandrachud and Surya Kant also asked the Central and concerned State governments for details regarding supplying happy seeder machines to farmers so that crop stubble burning, which causes pollution in Delhi, Haryana, Punjab and Western Uttar Pradesh, can be reined in."We have been forced to wear masks at home also, the situation is very serious," the CJI said.."You are saying lakhs of (happy seeder) machines are available but the farmers cannot afford these machines. After the landholding law the incentive for the farmers have increased. In winters the stubble can be used for fodder for goats etc in Rajasthan," said Justice Surya Kant.Solicitor General (SG) Tushar Mehta representing the Central government said that 2 lakh machines are available at 80% subsidised rate."Can the officials point out to the actual price after subsidy. I am a farmer, the CJI is also from a farmer family, we know it," Justice Surya Kant said..The SG also said that it is given free of cost to marginal farmers through cooperative societies."If you take the stubble from farmers free of cost and supply it to industries then farmers wont have to pay anything," the Bench remarked.During the hearing the Bench also contemplated about other causes of pollution."How the 80% of pollution in Delhi is due to causes apart from stubble burning," asked Justice Kant."Some percentage of contribution is by stubble burning but other causes are industrial, vehicle pollution. Tell us how immediately we can improve air quality index by 200 points," the CJI queried.He also suggested a lock down for two days. "Consider (having) 2 days lockdown etc."SG Mehta said that there are various causes for pollution including road dust. He also intimated the Bench that an emergent meeting of the chief secretaries of the concerned States have been called today. "We are having this emergency meeting later today. The chief secretaries are meeting today. Colour of political parties does not matter. It is a joint responsibility.. but implementation has to be at State level," the SG said.The CJI suggested that the States be asked to direct farmers to stop stubble burning for a few days."Why don't you ask Punjab, Haryana Chief Secretaries to cease stubble burning for a few days," he said."You have to look at this issue beyond politics and government," the CJI added."We realise its a matter of joint responsibility. We never said farmers are responsible," the SG maintained."We said you started with agriculture but there are other reasons too. Something must happen so that in two to three days we feel better," CJI replied.Need emergent measures to improve AQI. Consider (having) two days lockdown.Supreme Court.During the hearing, Justice Kant also said that it will not be fair to pin the blame on farmers alone which has become a trend these days."Now it has become a fashion to bash the farmers whether its Delhi govt or someone else. There was ban on firecrackers, what happened with that?" he demanded.Justice DY Chandrachud also asked Senior Counsel Rahum Mehra, appearing for Delhi government about the rationale behind opening shcools in the midst of deteriorating air quality levels."You have opened all schools and now you are witnessing children and their lungs to the pollutants. This is not Central government's but your jurisdiction. What is happening on that front," he queried."We realise that this situation of pollution in Delhi is like smoking 20 cigarettes a day," Mehra responded..The matter was then adjourned for Monday, October 15 when the SG is expected to get back to the Court with the outcome of the meeting of the chief secretaries of the four States and emergent measures which would be implemented to contain the rising pollution..[Read full account of hearing below]
