The Delhi High Court on Thursday declined to hear a plea to deal with stubble burning in neighbouring States of Punjab and Haryana, noting that the Supreme Court is already seized of the matter.
An HC Bench said the top court on October 16 had constituted a committee headed by its former judge Justice Madan B. Lokur to monitor the steps taken by these States to prevent stubble burning.
The court disposed of the application, which was moved by advocate Sudhir Mishra, in his main petition filed in 2015 — seeking directions to the Centre to take immediate steps to control increasing air pollution in the Capital.
The application had contended that stubble burning would increase the air pollution drastically in the Capital and could further aggravate the health problems in the city in view of the pandemic.
Additional Solicitor General Chetan Sharma said the sun was not visible on Thursday and it was an emergency-like situation in the Capital due to the “poor” air quality. The ASG referred to a news report, which stated that people who have recovered from COVID-19 were facing respiratory problems as the air quality worsened.
