'Better finish people in one go than force them to live in gas chamber'

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday pulled up the Punjab and Haryana governments for the rise in stubble burning cases despite its order prohibiting it and said people living in neighbouring Delhi couldn't be left to die due to air pollution.

An Apex Court bench comprising justices Arun Mishra and Deepak Gupta said the life span of millions had shortened and people are "suffocating" due to pollution in Delhi-NCR. "Can you treat people like this and permit them to die due to pollution," the bench asked.

Taking to task the Punjab Chief Secretary over the increase in stubble burning cases despite SC orders, the bench said: "Tell us why stubble burning increased after our order. Why are you not able to check stubble burning? Is it not a failure?"

"Why are people being forced to live in gas chambers? It is better to kill them all in one go, get explosives in 15 bags at one go. Why should people suffer all this," the Supreme Court asked Solicitor General Tushar Mehta.

The top court said it wanted the Central and Delhi government to prepare a comprehensive plan within 10 days to install smoke towers on a permanent basis across the national Capital to deal with air pollution.

The Supreme Court also asked the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) to file a report on adverse impact of the factories running in Delhi on its environment. The CPCB was also asked to file details on the nature of factories operating in the Capital.