The Supreme Court today pulled up the Centre as well as the State governments for their failure to curb air pollution in Delhi despite the prohibitory orders against stubble burning.
The Supreme Court also issued notice to all States and Union Territories seeking their response on why no liability should be imposed on them for failing to provide clean air and water to the people.
The Court observed that life span today has severely came down people are being forced to live in gas chambers. “Can you treat people like this? It’s better to get explosives in bags and kill them in one go. You have no right to suffocate the people and let them die a slow death”, the bench remarked.
The Special Bench comprising Justices Arun Mishra and Deepak Gupta had taken up the issue of air pollution in North India, and specially the hazardous and grim situation in Delhi earlier this month. The Court also lashed out at Delhi government and said they should pay for putting people’s life in jeopardy. Life is not so cheap in India and you have to pay.
The Court had imposed a complete ban on stubble burning in Punjab, Haryana as well as neighbouring areas in Western Uttar Pradesh. The Court further asked the Centre and Delhi government to provide relevant details and prospective measures to be taken in this regard.
The Supreme Court said it will take suo motu cognizance of the water pollution issue in Delhi to verify the claims of BIS if the water supplied in Delhi is fit for drinking or not.