Paper: GS – III, Subject: Environment and Ecology, Topic: Pollution, Issue: Polluter Pay Principle.
Context:
Delhi-NCR continues to face severe air pollution despite judicial activism and regulatory measures. The debate has intensified over the fairness and effectiveness of blaming stubble-burning farmers, given the complex, transboundary nature of air pollution.
Key Highlights:
Core Argument: Misplaced Blame on Farmers
Delhi-NCR’s pollution stems primarily from local vehicular emissions, not seasonal stubble burning:
- Primary Pollutant Sources: Vehicles contribute most PM2.5 and gases; stubble burning is episodic and transboundary, affecting multiple regions.
- Narrative Flaw: Officials, agencies, citizens, and judiciary scapegoat farmers, overlooking proportionality farmers can’t bear liability for industrial/vehicular pollution (echoing EU’s Standley case, 1999, on nitrates).
- Transboundary Reality: Pollution travels long distances (Trail Smelter, 1941; CLRTAP, 1979; ASEAN Haze Agreement, 2002).
- PM2.5 is now recognized as long-range (Gothenburg Protocol, 2012), trade-linked health impacts exceed atmospheric transport (Zhang et al., Nature, 2017).
Polluter Pays Principle (PPP): Evolution and Challenges
PPP mandates polluters internalize environmental costs, but application falters with mixed point/non-point sources:
- Legal Foundation in India:
| Case/Statute | Key Holding |
| Vellore Citizens Welfare Forum vs. UOI (1996) | PPP part of India’s law; led to NGT Act, 2010. |
| Indian Council for Enviro-Legal Action (1996) | Compensation for victims/restoration over strict cost allocation. |
| Air (1981)/Water (1974) Acts; EPA (1986) | Empower authorities for closures/directions. |
| Constitutional: Art. 48A, 51A(g) | State duty to protect environment. |
- Proportionality Limit: Standley (ECJ, 1999) bars disproportionate burdens—e.g., farmers liable only for their nitrates, not industrial ones.
- Complexity: Multiple sources (point: industries; non-point: agriculture/vehicles) + transboundary flows require cooperation, not solo PPP enforcement.
Shift to ‘Government-Pays Principle’:
Indian judiciary’s welfarist bent transforms PPP:
- Judicial Approach: Focuses on corrective justice (victim compensation, restoration) over precise damage valuation. Activist courts impose monitoring/implementation costs on government.
- Reasons:
- Administrative lapses in pollution boards (closure powers unused effectively).
- Victim poverty: Poor can’t sue polluters individually.
- Welfare Priority: Courts enforce standards, obligating state spending on health/public goods.
- Shortcomings: Doesn’t fully internalize prevention costs; ignores individual environmental duties (rights emphasized over responsibilities).
Broader Implications and Way Forward:
India’s framework prioritizes state intervention but needs refinement for equity and efficacy:
| Issue | Current Practice | Suggested Reform |
| Blame Attribution | Farmer-centric despite vehicular dominance | Data-driven source apportionment + regional cooperation. |
| PPP Application | Government bears costs | Proportional liability + precise quantification tools. |
| Transboundary Pollution | Local focus | Adopt CLRTAP-like agreements for South Asia. |
| Judicial Role | Activist oversight | Balance with individual duties under Art. 51A(g). |
Delhi-NCR’s air pollution crisis exposes the limitations of the Polluter Pays Principle in a transboundary, multi-source context. Sustainable solutions require cooperative federalism, scientific accountability, and stronger executive capacity rather than judicially driven government-pays approaches.
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