Paddy not native to Punjab, should be phased out by stopping MSP: Supreme Court in Air Pollution case

The Supreme Court on Tuesday called for the substitution of paddy with alternative crops in Punjab to prevent stubble burning in the region and in view of concerns that paddy cultivation affects the water table of the State..The bench of Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia said that the switch from paddy to alternative crops was necessary to prevent stubble burning next year. The Court added that the switchover can occur only when the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for farmers is not granted for paddy but for the cultivation of alternative crops..The Court noted that the “very sowing of paddy which is not a local crop” and which is “not consumed locally” was the basis of the recurring problem.“The switch over can only occur when the MSP is not granted for paddy but is given to an alternative crop, something which the Central Government in any case is seeking to encourage by growing and utilization of the traditional crops," the order stated. .The Court was hearing an application in a matter concerning various environmental issues.The observations from the top court came in the backdrop of the suggestions made by Punjab Advocate General Gurminder Singh who submitted that the growth of paddy was causing the water table to decline drastically in the state.Singh suggested that paddy cultivation must be phased out and substituted with other crops. In this context, he said the Central government should explore the option of giving minimum support prices for alternative crops to incentivise their cultivation instead of paddy. The Court's attention was also drawn to the Punjab Preservation of Subsoil Water Act, 2009, and how compliance with the Act was leading to air pollution. The objective of that Act was to preserve the subsoil water and the Act provided for punitive measures so that the farmers sow the crop after a specified date.Before the Act came into force, paddy used to be sowed a little early in the year and, hence, the problem of stubble burning was not acute because of wind and weather conditions that dissipated the particulate matter from stubble burning. However, now, due to the Act, the cutting of the paddy gets delayed and it takes place during a season where, due to atmospheric conditions, the impact is borne by Delhi and surrounding areas, the Court noted. .The Punjab Advocate General further highlighted the misuse of the MSP scheme, explaining that paddy grown in adjacent States was being brought into Punjab to claim the MSP under the State government's policy.On stubble burning, Singh suggested that Punjab and Delhi should bear the 50 percent cost for the use of machines to manage the stubble and that the rest should be provided by the Central government. Agreeing with the submission, the Court said when the Centre provides so many other subsidies, there is no reason why this cost should also not be borne by it.“Let us say that these are immediate measures required for the short term,” it added..The Court said that it wants all stakeholders to act promptly in respect of these aspects..In its interim order, the top court has also ordered that the local Station House Officers in Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and some parts of Delhi be made responsible for stopping stubble burning incidents, with oversight from the Chief Secretary and Director General of Police of the concerned State..[Read Order]