SC: Stubble burning not big polluter

New Delhi: The apex court  also took note of the Centre’s submission that stubble burning is not a major  contributor to Delhi’s air  pollution and suggested that  the city focus on dust, industry and vehicular emissions.

The share of stubble  burning in Delhi’s pollution  stood at 10 per cent on Monday, the lowest since Diwali,  (November 4).

On an average, farm fires  have accounted for around  25 per cent of the PM 2.5 pollution in Delhi from November 1 to November 15.

This led Samyukta Kisan  Morcha, a forum of farmer  unions protesting the farm  laws, to hit out at the Delhi  government, saying they  have always pointed out that  criminalisation and penalisation of farmers is not a  solution to the problem.

Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai, later in the  day, however sought to know  the source of the Centre’s  data and said its share rose  to a high of 48 per cent in the  last 10 days.  -(PTI)