New Delhi: India’s Supreme Court has demanded that authorities report within a week on their efforts to curb crop residue burning by farmers, as smog begins to blanket Delhi and nearby regions, local media reported Thursday.
Farmers in Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh burn stubble after the rice harvest in October to clear their fields for wheat planting. This practice significantly contributes to the toxic smog that engulfs Delhi, making it one of the most polluted capitals globally, particularly ahead of winter when stagnant winds and lower temperatures trap pollutants in the air.
Despite federal and state authorities’ efforts to discourage crop residue burning—through awareness campaigns and penalties—completely curbing the practice has been a challenge. The scale of the problem and resistance from farmers in certain areas make enforcement difficult.
“In some districts of Punjab and Haryana, stubble burning incidents have significantly increased compared to 2023,” the court stated, as reported by legal news site Live Law. “However, the states have only managed to recover nominal compensation from 42 and 45 farmers, respectively.”
A government website tracking crop burning incidents reported about 200 fires daily in Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh since mid-September.
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The court also reprimanded the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), the government body overseeing air quality in Delhi and the surrounding regions, for failing to enforce its own directives. The court gave the commission and state authorities one week to report on the steps taken to prevent further crop residue burning. The CAQM has yet to comment on the court’s request.
India ranked as the third most polluted country in 2023, according to Swiss group IQAir, behind Bangladesh and Pakistan. On Thursday, Delhi ranked sixth on the real-time list of the world’s most polluted cities, with an air quality index (AQI) of 115, a level deemed unhealthy for sensitive groups.
India’s weather office predicts moderate air quality in Delhi until October 6, with conditions expected to worsen in the following week. Experts warn that air quality could further deteriorate from mid-October, as farm fires are likely to increase, peaking at the end of the month and into November.
