The Supreme Court re-imposed the ban on sale of fireworks in Delhi-NCR, saying there was “direct evidence of deterioration of air quality” every year during Diwali on account of bursting of crackers.
A three-judge Bench, headed by Justice A K Sikri, upheld the November 11, 2016 Supreme Court order, suspending all licences that “permit sale of fireworks wholesale and retail within the territory of NCR”. The ban will remain in place till November 1 though Diwali falls on October 19.
The apex court had last year imposed a ban on the sale of crackers when pollution spiked several times the normal level, post Diwali. The level of PM2.5, one of the most keenly observed pollutants, had risen as much as 14 times the normal on the night of Diwali last year. The court had in September lifted the ban temporarily, but a petition was filed to re-impose it. Even as environmentalists welcomed the order, traders and industry bodies are up against it.
Read Full Judgement Here:
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