NEW DELHI: The Delhi government, on Thursday, apprised the Supreme Court that it has imposed a complete ban on manufacturing, storing, selling, and bursting all kinds of firecrackers in the national capital throughout the year with immediate effect.
“By December 19, 2024 order, it (Delhi government) has decided to completely ban firecrackers,” the Delhi government told the two-judge bench of the apex court, led by Justice Abhay S Oka and Justice Augustine George Masih.
However, the Haryana government told the apex court that it has kept green crackers out of the ban.
Rajasthan government, which is also affected by the air pollution, said it, too, has banned firecrackers completely in areas falling in the National Capital Region (NCR), while the Uttar Pradesh government said they have decided against banning the firecrackers completely.
After hearing these, the bench said that ban will only become effective only when all states forming part of NCR take the same decision on ban of firecrackers.
“For the time being, we direct Uttar Pradesh and Haryana to impose similar ban which is imposed by Delhi,” the top court ordered.
The Court was hearing the petition filed by noted environmentalist, M C Mehta, seeking appropriate directions and or orders relating to air pollution in national capital and NCR.
The Court, on December 12, ordered Delhi government and other NCR states (Haryana, UP, and Rajasthan) to take a final call on prohibiting the use of firecrackers throughout the year.