The central government, in an affidavit filed before the Apex court, cited a scientific study to say that stubble burning accounts for only 4 per cent of Delhi's air pollution (PM 2.5) in winters and 7 per cent in summers.

Reacting to the affidavit, Justice DY Chandrachud remarked, "In fact, now the cat is out of the bag, the farmers' stubble burning contributes to 4 per cent of the pollution as per the chart. So we are targeting something which is totally insignificant."