The Supreme Court has denied relaxing the firecracker prohibition in Delhi-NCR, in view of intense air pollution and the right to a clean environment. The court stated that there would be no relaxation unless demonstrated that green crackers emit negligible pollution.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday confirmed its ban on the sale, storage, and production of firecrackers in Delhi-NCR, based on the serious levels of air pollution in the area.
A bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan held that pollution issues should be given priority, especially since the worst hit are people who work in open spaces and cannot buy air purifiers.
“Various orders passed by this court during the last six months place on record the ghastly condition that existed in Delhi due to record-levels of air pollution,” the bench noted.
The court reiterated that the right to health is an integral aspect of Article 21 of the Constitution and encompasses the right to breathe in a pollution-free environment.
No Relief to ‘Green Crackers’ Either
The court also rejected claims for reconsidering its earlier orders on “green crackers,” and said that unless it were established that they caused little pollution, the ban would continue.
“Unless the court is satisfied that the pollution due to the so-called green crackers is bare minimum, there is no question of reconsidering the previous orders,” the judges stated.
Ban Warranted by ‘Extraordinary Situation’
The Supreme Court maintained that the firecracker ban had been imposed due to an “extraordinary situation” created by Delhi’s deteriorating air quality.
With air pollution standards continuously crossing risky levels, the court ruling cements its efforts to protect people’s health more than festive holidays.
