As Delhi’s air quality worsened to “severe” levels, the Supreme Court on Wednesday directed the governments of Punjab and Haryana to submit affidavits outlining the measures taken to curb stubble burning in their respective states.

A Bench led by Chief Justice of India BR Gavai, along with Justice K Vinod Chandran, took note of concerns raised regarding the worsening air quality in Delhi-NCR despite the enforcement of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP).

Court questions delay in stronger pollution control steps

Senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan urged the court to consider implementing GRAP-IV, the most stringent stage of anti-pollution measures, stating that the Air Quality Index (AQI) had crossed 450 in multiple areas. He also pointed out that construction activities, such as drilling near court premises, should be halted temporarily.

Amicus curiae Aparajita Singh highlighted discrepancies in official pollution data and warned that the situation had become “very dangerous,” urging immediate and coordinated action.

Further hearing scheduled for Monday

The CJI-led Bench directed both Punjab and Haryana to file detailed reports before the next hearing, scheduled for Monday. The court also reiterated its earlier directions to enforce strict measures against stubble burning and monitor implementation closely.

In an earlier hearing in September, the top court had sought a report from the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) and advised the Centre to consider stringent penalties, including arrests, to prevent crop residue burning.

Despite repeated judicial interventions, the apex court expressed concern over the states’ failure to effectively control stubble burning — a major contributor to the seasonal spike in pollution across northern India.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav will on Wednesday transfer the increased monthly assistance of Rs1,500 each to women beneficiaries under the state government’s Ladli Behna Yojana. The event will take place in Seoni, where the Chief Minister will, in a single click, disburse Rs 1,857 crore to over 1.26 crore women across all 52 districts of the state.

Earlier, the beneficiaries were receiving Rs1,250 per month, which was increased following Cabinet approval earlier this month. The revised payout will cost the state exchequer an additional Rs300 crore per month.

Background of the scheme

The Ladli Behna Yojana was launched in June 2023 to provide monthly financial support to women. Initially, the amount was Rs1,000, later raised to Rs1,250 in September 2023. The current increment to Rs1,500 fulfills a major pre-election promise made by the ruling party, which had pledged to gradually increase the assistance up to Rs3,000 per month.

Since the inception of the scheme, the government has directly transferred a total of Rs44,917.92 crore into beneficiaries’ bank accounts, according to official data. The scheme currently benefits around 1.26 crore women.

Possible renaming of the scheme

During the event, the Chief Minister may also announce a new name for the scheme — Devi Subhadra Yojana. Dr Yadav had hinted at this possibility during the Bhai Dooj celebrations last month, drawing a symbolic connection between Lord Krishna’s care for his sister Subhadra and the government’s support for women’s empowerment.

He had said, “Just as Lord Krishna ensured Subhadra’s dignity and protection, our government stands as a guardian for our sisters, ensuring their happiness, safety, and self-reliance.”

Impact on women’s empowerment

Officials have highlighted that the initiative has significantly improved women’s participation in local economies. Many beneficiaries have started small-scale ventures like tailoring, dairy farming, and photocopy services, turning financial aid into livelihood opportunities.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday met victims of the recent blast near Delhi’s Red Fort at Lok Nayak Hospital, shortly after returning from his two-day Bhutan visit. The visit came amid tight security arrangements around the hospital, where all the injured were admitted.

Nine killed, several injured in Red Fort blast

The explosion occurred on Monday evening when a white Hyundai i20 car exploded near the Red Fort traffic signal, killing nine people and injuring 20 others. The blast, which happened during rush hour, also gutted several nearby vehicles.

Officials said the blast is linked to a terror module spread across Jammu and Kashmir, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh. Hours before the incident, eight people, including three doctors, were arrested and 2,900 kg of explosives were recovered in a joint police operation.

Investigations link suspects to Faridabad university

Among those arrested were Dr Muzammil Ganaie and Dr Shaheen Sayeed, both associated with Al Falah University in Faridabad, where 360 kg of ammonium nitrate was seized. Another suspect, Dr Umar Nabi — who reportedly died in the explosion — was also linked to the same institution.

Sources said Ganaie and Nabi had previously surveyed the Red Fort area and planned to carry out a major attack during Diwali, which was later aborted. They were also suspected of planning another attack on Republic Day.

Investigators believe an ANFO-based improvised explosive device (IED), containing ammonium nitrate and fuel oil, was packed into the car and manually detonated, indicating a possible suicide attack. High-grade explosives stronger than ammonium nitrate were also found at the site.