'Firecracker ban hardly implemented,' Supreme Court seeks explanation from Delhi govt, police
The Supreme Court has expressed its disapproval of the Delhi government’s handling of the firecracker ban during Diwali, stating that the restrictions were "hardly implemented" across the national capital. Observing that pollution levels hit a record high this Diwali, the court has asked the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government and Delhi police to explain the non implementation of ban. The Court noted that shops openly selling banned crackers were a blatant violation of its directive. “The effect of non-implementation is evident,” the bench remarked, referencing a report by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), which revealed that pollution levels this Diwali surpassed those recorded in previous years. Additionally, the report pointed out a significant increase in farm fires during the same period, further exacerbating Delhi’s air quality crisis. The Court has instructed the Delhi government and police to outline specific measures to prevent a repeat of this situation in future years. Additionally, it suggested sealing shops found to be violating the ban to set a strong precedent. “We will examine this issue thoroughly,” the Court stated. The court has also asked the Delhi government to consider a year-round ban on firecrackers to address the persistent air quality issues in the city.
