Adopt 'carrot and stick' policy to curb farm fires: SC to states

The Supreme Court on Friday reiterated to the Centre and the governments of states neighbouring the national capital that farm fires must be stopped and called for a "carrot and stick policy" to halt the annual practice that turns air for most part of north India into a toxic smog.

- Abraham Thomas

The court first issued the direction on Tuesday and during a hearing on Friday to monitor compliance, it directed the cabinet secretary to meet the chief secretaries of Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh and consider steps to bring down high levels of pollution gripping Delhi. A bench headed by justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul observed that the authorities had made little headway.

"We want farm fires stopped. You do it by whatever means. It is up to you whom you haul over the coals. We are not getting into the nitty-gritty," the bench said and posted the matter for hearing on November 21, after the court reopens from its Diwali break.

The bench, also comprising justices Sudhanshu Dhulia and Ahsanuddin Amanullah said: "We are not saying follow this or that policy but only saying that a solution must be found. Work must go on. The decline in farm fires must go on during these holidays."

Referring to its Tuesday order where it listed out certain short-term and long-term measures, the court said, "A carrot and stick policy is necessary for preventing farm fires. There has to be punitive action as registering an FIR is not enough. Anybody who does farm fire must be visited with consequences. You may attach his property for a year."