New Delhi: In view of the serious note of air quality worsening in the National Capital Region, the Supreme Court on Monday banned the sale of fireworks for Diwali and asked the government to suspend all temporary licenses for sale of firecrackers.
The Three Judge Bench of Justice A.k Sikri, A.M. Sapre and Ashok Bhushan had imposed ban on November 11, 2016 following Diwali last year.
After the petitions of manufacturers and sales agents, the court lifted the ban on September 12 and allowed sale of firecrackers for this year. The restriction has now been restored.
The court suspended all such licenses because permit sale of fireworks, bulk and retail sale in the area of NCR. The Suspension will be applicable and in force until further orders of the court. No such license will be given or renewed until further orders.
The bench said that the order of September 12 to remain temporarily and the sale of firecrackers will be effective from 1 November and only licensed shops will be allowed to do business.
The Diwali is on October 19th and the order effectively means that no fireworks will be available for purchase before the festival.
The Advocate Gopal Shankarnarayanan, who effectively argued for the ban, told the newspaper that the restriction on sale would include online sales. This would mean that no cracker would be online from a manufacturer or a dealer from Sivakasi, because they said that the explosive rules prohibit such sale.
All licenses have been suspended either directly or indirectly in Delhi near the dealer who sells in Tamilnadu and have been banned for sale, so that there will be no license to sell the cracker.
In its order the Bench said that after the ban was imposed after Diwali last year, the NCR did not have the advantage to test the quality of air without cracking firecrackers.
In the order stated, “We believe that there should be an opportunity to test themselves to suspend the license so that this suspension has a positive effect, especially during the Diwali period.”
The Bench Judges said that the adverse effects of the burning of firecrackers during Diwali are concerned, as far as the annual year has been observed. The quality of air gets spoiled and dangerous and the city suffers.
