Punjab, Haryana slow in taking action over farm fires: Supreme Court

The Supreme Court on Thursday said the Punjab and Haryana governments had been slow in taking action against farmers burning stubble and a mechanism was required to be devised for a long-term solution to the problem.

A Bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Augustine George Masih said a machinery had to be set in motion to ensure 24/7 data was available. “We propose to hear all parties exhaustively. It is because of the sowing done belatedly all this problem is happening. We want to go to the root of the matter and issue directions. Something needs to be done. Every year this problem cannot arise. From the data available, we can say both states are very slow in taking action against farmers,” the Bench remarked.

Farmers evading satellite detection?

• The Bench took note of a media report related to Punjab wherein a land record officer reportedly admitted to advising farmers to burn stubble after 4 pm to avoid satellite detection
• Calling the matter “very serious” if it was true, the court said the Punjab Government should immediately issue instructions to all officers not to indulge in any such activities

The Bench took note of a media report related to Punjab wherein a land record officer and president of the Sangrur Block Patwari Union reportedly admitted to advising farmers to burn stubble after 4 pm to avoid satellite detection. Calling it “very serious” if the media report was to be believed, the court directed Punjab state officials to not permit farmers to take advantage of the fact that activities were being detected via satellite during just a few hours of the day.

“The Punjab Government should immediately issue instructions to all officers not to indulge in any such activities,” it said. In an order on November 18, the top court had directed the Centre and the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to procure data on farm fires using geostationary satellites, as opposed to NASA’s polar-orbiting satellites, to ensure real-time monitoring.

The court noted the existing data from NASA satellites was limited to specific time windows and sought the involvement of ISRO in utilising stationary satellites for comprehensive day-long monitoring. The apex court today said everyone was “smart enough” to understand the data was collected during a specific time window and stubble was not being burnt at that time. Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, representing the Centre, said ISRO was working on the issue.