No Sale Of Firecrackers This Diwali In Delhi, SC Imposes Ban Till 1 November

In an attempt to test the difference in the air quality, the Supreme Court has reinstated a ban on the sale of firecrackers till 1 November in Delhi, reported NDTV. Those who had already bought firecrackers can still burst them on Diwali which falls on 19 October.

In September this year, the apex court had temporarily suspended the ban on the sale of firecrackers – claiming that a complete ban would amount to an extreme step.

In the recent judgement however, the court said that the 12 September verdict will be in implementation from 1 November.

Background

Last Diwali, the pollution level in Delhi was reportedly the worst in 10 years.

However, after the festival that the Supreme Court, responding to a 2015 petition by three children aged between six years and 14 months, banned the sale of crackers.

The court on 11 November, 2016 had ruled that there would be a complete ban on the sale of fireworks within the National Capital Region, which includes Delhi and nearby areas, following a petition about the alarming rise in pollution levels after Diwali.

This decision of the Supreme Court served a setback to the fire cracker manufacturers. They sought relaxation from the complete ban and the 12 September judgement had brought them some relief.

Advocate Gopal Shankarnarayanan, appearing for petitioner Arjun Gopal, had contended before the court that ban on use of firecrackers should be restored as the NCR had witnessed a huge rise in air pollution during and after Diwali last year.

The Logical Indian community appreciates the verdict taken by the Supreme Court that would enable Delhi to have a safer and cracker-free Diwali.