New Delhi, Nov 4 (IANS): At a marathon hearing on air pollution, the Supreme Court on Monday passed a slew of directions, as it expressed its displeasure at the failure of the Centre and state machinery, to be followed by the chief secretaries to the lowest officer in the administration, to comply with its directions.

"You can postpone the Assembly, people cannot be left to die", said a bench headed by Justice Arun Mishra seeking the presence of chief secretaries of Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.

The court scheduled the next hearing on November 6.

The apex court made it clear that it would penalize top officials starting from the chief Secretary to the local administration officer, if found guilty in not taking steps to stop air pollution.

The court also roped in the SHO of the local police station to ensure steps are taken to stop stubble burning. "It is a shocking state of affairs....there cannot be large scale exodus of people from Delhi. Delhi cannot be evacuated", said the court.

The court has also imposed strict fines on construction and waste burning activity in Delhi NCR to contain pollution originating from local level.