‘Environment laws toothless’: Supreme Court pulls up Centre for failure to tackle stubble burning

NORTH NEWS

NEW DELHI, OCTOBER 23

The Supreme Court on Wednesday criticised the Centre government for failing to enforce strict regulations to combat stubble burning in North India, stating that the Environment Protection Act has become “toothless.” The court pointed to the ineffective implementation of anti-pollution measures, as air quality in Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) remains in the ‘very poor’ category, sparking concerns about public health.

The court emphasized the need for urgent action to address the issue, noting that the current laws lack the necessary enforcement to prevent stubble burning, a major contributor to air pollution during winter months. The Centre was urged to operationalize key provisions of the Environment Protection Act to ensure stricter penalties and compliance.

A bench led by Justices Abhay S. Oka, A. Amanullah, and A.G. Masih
admonished the Punjab and Haryana governments for their failure to curb farm
fires, a key contributor to the region’s toxic air. The court called the state
governments’ efforts “mere eyewash,” questioning the lack of
penalties imposed on farmers violating laws against stubble burning, the news outlet NDTV reported.