The Supreme Court on Monday kept in abeyance its October 16 order appointing one-man panel of retired apex court judge Justice Madan B Lokur to monitor the steps taken by neighbouring States to prevent stubble burning, which is a major cause of pollution in the Delhi-NCR.

A bench headed by Chief Justice SA Bobde passed the order while considering the Centre’s stand that it is coming out with a comprehensive legislation to deal with air pollution, including the aspect of stubble burning.

“The only issue is people are choking because of pollution and it is something which must be curbed,” said the bench, also comprising Justices AS Bopanna and V Ramasubramanian.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the bench that the Centre has taken a “holistic view” of the matter and the draft of the proposed law on curbing pollution would be submitted in the apex court within four days.

In its October 16 order, the top court had ordered deployment of National Cadet Corps, National Service Scheme and Bharat Scouts and Guides for assisting in the monitoring of stubble burning in the agricultural fields of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi-NCR, saying all it wants is that “people of Delhi-NCR can breathe fresh air without any pollution”.

During the hearing conducted through video-conferencing on Monday, Mehta told the SC that coming out with a proper legislation to deal with the issue is a “welcome step”.

 “We will come out with a legislation on this issue and please keep the last order at abeyance now,” Mehta said, adding that pollution must be “curbed on war footing”.

Senior advocate Vikas Singh, appearing for the petitioner who has raised the issue of pollution caused due to stubble burning, said that the legislation would come only by next year.

To this, Mehta said, “This government acts fast”. The bench observed during the hearing that the SG has informed the court that the Centre is contemplating a comprehensive legislation and if that is so “then why we should pass the order which we have passed”.

“We don’t know what the committee is going to do and we don’t know what the Government is going to do,” the bench said.

Singh, who said that the Centre is opposing the panel like it had done on October 16, argued that Lokur committee would be filing its report in the meantime.

Mehta, however, urged the bench that October 16 order be kept in abeyance. The bench, while keeping its earlier order in abeyance, posted the matter for hearing on October 29 when another pending matter related to pollution is listed.

The bench noted Mehta’s submission that the Centre has proposed a legislation to deal with the issues which are highlighted in the PIL.

“Having regard to the statement, we keep the order passed on October 16 in abeyance,” it said.