Supreme Court refuses complete ban on sale of firecrackers

The Supreme Court on Tuesday refused to impose complete ban on sale of firecrackers. The court said that sale can happen through only licensed traders and said that only green crackers can be sold. Online sale of firecrackers have been completely banned.

The court also restricted the duration during which firecrackers can be burst. On Diwali and other religious festivals crackers can be burst only for two hours—between 8pm to 10pm. But for Christmas and New Year it will be allowed only between 11.45pm to 12.45pm.

The Supreme Court's verdict came in response to a plea seeking a ban on manufacturing and sale of firecrackers across the country to curb air pollution. This year Diwali will be celebrated on November 7.

Justices A.K. Sikri and Ashok Bhushan had reserved its verdict on August 28 on the PILs filed by three children. Gopal Sankaranarayanan, lawyer of petitioners Arjun Gopal, Aarav Bhandari and Zoya Rao Bhasin, had sought a complete ban on sale, purchase and transportation of crackers.

In the past, the apex court had said that while deciding on a ban on firecrackers, it is impertive to take into account the fundamental right of livelihood of firecracker manufacturers and the right to health of over 1.3 billion people of the country.

Last year, the Supreme Court had temporarily banned the sale of firecrackers ahead of Diwali. The court refused to relax its order and dismissed the plea moved by traders.

Dr. Arvind Kumar, Chairman, Centre for Chest Surgery & Lung Transplantation, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital and chief of Lung Foundation, had appeared in court from the side of the petitioners. He went on to explain with the help of photographs how pollution during Diwali could be fatal.