Govts have forgotten concept of welfare: Supreme Court slams states for air pollution crisis

Squarely blaming the Centre and state governments, the Supreme Court said they had no right to be in power if they weren't bothered about the people.

Straw being burnt in a paddy field in Punjab | Nayanika Chatterjee | ThePrint

New Delhi: The Supreme Court Wednesday said it is a question of life and death of crores of people in Delhi-NCR region which is facing severe air pollution and the authorities have to be held responsible for its failure to curb it.

“Can you permit people to die like this due to pollution? Can you permit the country to go back by 100 years,” observed a bench headed by Justice Arun Mishra.

“We have to make government responsible 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 people, they have no right to be in power.

“You (states) have forgotten the concept of welfare government. They are not bothered about poor people, this is very unfortunate,” said the bench, also comprising Justice Deepak Gupta.

It also questioned as to why the state governments cannot collect and purchase stubble from farmers.

“We expect more from democratic government of the country to deal with issue of stubble burning and curb pollution,” the bench said, adding that “it is a question of life and death of crores of people. We have to make govt responsible for this”.