Hue & cry over stubble burning without any basis: SC raps govt

Asks Centre to hold emergency meet; Delhi govt says ready for complete lockdown to control air pollution

The Supreme Court on Monday directed the Centre to hold an emergency meeting on the pollution crisis and by Tuesday decide on steps like stopping non-essential construction, transport, power plants and implementing work from home to tackle the situation, saying “the cat is out of the bag” now as the “hue and cry” over stubble burning being a big contributor was without any basis.

Ordering the Centre to hold the meeting with the secretaries concerned of Delhi, Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, the bench headed by Chief Justice N V Ramana said, “In fact, now the cat is out of the