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“Fashion to Bash Farmers”: 10 Supreme Court Quotes on Delhi Air Crisis

November 13, 2021
Bharat Times

New Delhi:
The Supreme Court today pulled up the central government over the deteriorating air quality in Delhi. Chief Justice NV Ramana, who headed the bench, said, “You see, how bad is the situation… Even in our homes, we are wearing masks.”

Here are the top Supreme Court quotes on this big story:

  1. Chief Justice NV Ramana said, “You tell us how are you planning to take emergency measures? Two-day lockdown? What is your emergency plan on reducing the level of AQI (Air Quality Index).”

  2. “Why are you projecting like pollution caused by farmers? It is only a certain percentage of pollution. What about the rest? What are you doing to control pollution in Delhi? We have to take anything from which government- Don’t have to… State or Centre. You tell us what is your proper plan… Not about 2-3 days,” the Chief Justice said.

  3. Justice Surya Kant asked, “It has become everyone’s fashion to bash the farmers. You have banned firecrackers, but what about what is happening in the last 5-6 days.”

  4. “The problem is incentives. If you are not encouraging farmers to go for alternatives, things cannot change. Enforcement cannot be like this,” he said.

  5. To this Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said: “We give machines to farmers at 80 per cent subsidy. Farmers with large holdings are not covered under subsidy but small farmers come under subsidy,” he said.

  6. “There is an emergency right now and urgent emergency measures are needed. We can’t go into the research institute’s report right now,” he said.

  7. Chief Justice Ramana said, “You opened all the schools two weeks ago but all these children are opening their lungs to this dangerous air. You yourself gave us an AQI level of more than 500.”

  8. Rahul Mehra, appearing for the Delhi government, admitted in the court, “We agree on the gravity of the situation. We are smoking 20 cigarettes a day.”

  9. Assuring steps to stop stubble burning, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said: “We are taking steps to stop stubble burning. But the kind of pollution we have seen in the last five-six days is because of this. ) Stubble burning in Punjab. The state government needs to gear up.”

  10. Chief Justice Raman said, “Something has to happen so that at least for the next two-three days we feel better.”

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