New Delhi: The Supreme Court Wednesday said it is a issue of life and death of crores of individuals in Delhi-NCR region which is facing serious air pollution and the authorities have to be held responsible for its failure to check it.
"Can you permit people to die like this due to pollution? Can you permit the country to go back by hundred years," observed a bench headed by Justice Arun Mishra.
"We need to make government answerable for this," the bench said and asked, "Why can't govt machinery stop stubble burning?
Coming down heavily on state governments, the top court said that if they don't bother about individuals, they have no right to be in power.
"You (states) have forgotten the idea of welfare government. They are not bothered about poor individuals, this is very unfortunate," said the bench, also comprising Justice Deepak Gupta.
It also questioned as to why the state governments cannot collect and buy stubble from farmers.
"We expect more from democratic government of the nation to manage issue of stubble burning and curb pollution," the bench said, included that "it is a issue of life and death of crores of individuals. We have to make govt answerable for this".