NEW DELHI: It will be a black Diwali for traders as the Supreme Court refused to revoke the ban on the sale of crackers till November 1 in Delhi-NCR. The apex court on Friday rejected the traders’ plea seeking modification of its October 9 order.
Citing alarming levels of pollution around the festive season, the apex court imposed the ban in November last year. This year the court had lifted the ban on September 13, only to reimpose it on October 9. Arguments opposing the ban call to keep a check on high levels of pollution caused by vehicles, old diesel cars, road-dust and air-conditioners, etc.
Dismayed with the decision, angry shopkeepers in Jama Masjid and Sadar Bazaar claimed that this decision will wreak havoc in their lives with losses running into crores of rupees. Amit Jain, owner of Ajit Jain Firecrackers in Jama Masjid and one of the petitioners, stated that the apex court has taken a biased and an impractical decision, days before the festival. “The ban was imposed in 2016 and was lifted 20 days ago. The Supreme Court has not thought about how small-medium traders’ lives will be impacted. We are not illegally hoarding crackers but have got them through licences. Will the court or the government buy our stock?” he said.
“The ban is on sale but not bursting or buying of crackers. Around 40 per cent of pollution is road-based. Crop burning is another major contributor. We can’t stock, sell or change it. After GST, this is a major loss for businessmen and taxpayers,” added Devindar Pal, a Sadar Bazar trader.
Petitioner Devinder Singh Chabbra said it’s a loss of faith in the judiciary. “Our lives have been made a joke. The court should regulate, not ban. We will sell on pavements if required,” he said.
“The SC’s decision targets a particular religion which is unfair,” came an emphatic appeal from Chawri Bazaar’s Khalid Ahmed Baig, who had to return home after seeing shops shut.
London-based Deepak Sharma says, “As an NRI, Diwali has sentiments attached to us. This is wrong as crackers are not the only source of pollution. Now, what do I tell my kids?” Kanwal Nain Sikka, 70, is willing to go the extra mile to buy crackers for his grandchildren wishes. “What havoc can three hours of Diwali celebration cause? Why doesn’t the court rectify old errors like the Yamuna pollution or trees felled in metro construction or old cars running on streets. Why attack just Hindu festivals?,” he added, highlighting that the decision is akin to banning butchering on Bakr-Eid.