Supreme Court Criticizes Centre for 'Toothless' Environment Law

The Supreme Court reprimanded the Centre for weakening environmental protection laws, emphasizing citizens' fundamental rights to a pollution-free environment. The court criticized the ineffective implementation of laws in Punjab and Haryana, and stressed the need for stronger enforcement and accountability for ongoing environmental violations.

On Wednesday, the Supreme Court sharply criticized the Centre's dilution of the environment protection law, branding it 'toothless' in safeguarding the fundamental right of all Indian citizens to live in a pollution-free environment. The bench, comprising Justices Abhay S Oka, Ahsanuddin Amanulllah, and Augustine George Masih, also took the state governments of Punjab and Haryana to task for failing to implement court directives on stubble burning effectively.

The court stressed that these issues reflect blatant violations of Article 21 of the Indian Constitution, which guarantees the right to life, and noted over 1,000 instances of stubble burning in Punjab and more than 400 in Haryana. The judges urged the central and state governments to address how they intend to protect citizens' lives and dignity by ensuring a pollution-free world.

Amending Section 15 of the Environment Protection Act without a proper enforcement mechanism has rendered it ineffective, the court observed. The lack of adjudicating officers has led to a situation where offenders face little consequence, enabling them to evade penalties. The court underscored the need for swift action from the government to establish the necessary machinery to uphold environmental regulations effectively.

(With inputs from agencies.)