NEW DELHI/MUMBAI: The Supreme Court’s ban on sale of firecrackers in New Delhi during the Diwali holidays has begun to have ripple effects elsewhere.
While the firecracker trade trotted out whopping figures of losses, political parties on the right wing began to question this as an intrusion into religious tradition.
Taking the cue from the Supreme Court, the Bombay High Court and the Chattisgarh administration on Tuesday clamped restrictions on the sale of firecrackers in the run-up to Diwali.
The administration of the financial capital has been ordered to slash by half the number of licences it awards to cracker traders this year and forbid any outlets from operating in residential localities. The order also said licences already given to shopkeepers in residential areas should be cancelled.
This fuelled speculation that the Maharashtra government might ban cracker sale altogether, as done in New Delhi, although the air quality index is not as bad as in the national capital.
The High Court rejected a plea by shopkeepers seeking temporary licences to sell firecrackers and instead asked the government to issue no more fresh licences.
In New Delhi, losses due to the ban – both in terms of forfeiture of future sales and loss of investment already made – would run into the hundreds of crores, according to Harjit Singh Chhabra, head of the Sadar Nishkarm Welfare Association.
Sena sees red
In Mumbai, the cracker ban took political colour with the Shiv Sena raising a red flag, arguing that the livelihood of scores of Marathi youth depended on the firecracker business. Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut said, “The ban on firecrackers is not a solution to pollution. The Ganga did not get polluted because of firecrackers.”
Invitation to Bhopal
In Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh home minister Bhupendra Singh sarcastically invited Delhiites to celebrate their Diwali in Bhopal. He tweeted, “There’s full freedom in Madhya Pradesh to burst crackers. I invite friends from Delhi to Bhopal.” He added, “The MP government works throughout the year for the environment, not just on a single day.”
All, including those in Delhi are invited to celebrate Diwali with crackers in MP, including state capital Bhopal. Be it in terms of environmental pollution or other respects, our state, including capital Bhopal is safe for Diwali, so come and enjoy the festival of lights here with family.