BENGALURU: The Karnataka High Court on Friday directed the State Government to take appropriate decision on the requests made by the petitioners for ban on the sale and bursting of firecrackers in Karnataka, considering its impact on the envi ronment and heal t h of citizens. A division bench of Justice BV Nagarathna and Justice MG Uma passed the order while disposing the PILs filed by Samarpana, a socio-cultural organisation, and AS Vishnu Bharath, a city resident.
The bench asked the state to take decision on the prayers made by the petitioners, by taking note of the judgements of the apex court and the directions issued by the National Green Tribunal in relation to firecrackers, noise and air pollution and religious rights.
The bench said that the High Court cannot pass orders banning firecrackers under Article 226 of the Constitution, as power to make such a decision vests with the State Government, though protecting health of citizens is more important in view of a pandemic like Covid-19.