What steps taken to prevent stubble burning: HC asks Delhi's neighbours

The Delhi High Court today asked the neighbouring states of the national capital what steps they have taken to ensure prevention of stubble burning which it had earlier termed as the "main villain" behind the several pollution levels in the city and adjoining areas.

A bench of Justices S Ravindra Bhat and A K Chawla asked the states of Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab and Rajasthan to place before it a status report on the steps taken by them to comply with the court's earlier orders to stop stubble burning.

With the direction, the court listed the matter for further hearing on July 25.

The bench called for the status report after the court's attention was drawn to its last year's orders on the issue.

The court had last year noted that October to January was a "critical period" when the air quality in Delhi is poor due to the weather conditions and stubble burning acted as the "trigger" or the "main villain" leading to deterioration of the situation.

The bench was hearing a PIL initiated by it in 2015 on the issue of poor air quality in the national capital.

The Punjab government had last year told the court that it has prohibited indiscriminate burning of agricultural waste in the entire state.