While the Supreme Court refused a blanket ban on firecrackers, it has imposed certain restrictions which may impact your Diwali celebrations.
Two weeks before Diwali, the Supreme Court on Tuesday delivered its verdict on a plea seeking a nationwide ban on manufacturing and sale of firecrackers. While the apex court refused a blanket ban on firecrackers, it imposed several restrictions to limit its impact on the environment.
On October 9 last year, the top court temporarily banned the sale of firecrackers ahead of Diwali. Later, the court refused to relax its order while dismissing a plea by traders who had sought permission to sell crackers for at least a day or two before Diwali on October 19, 2017. The apex court said its ban order during Diwali that year was an experiment to examine its effect on the pollution levels in the region.
Today's verdict comes amid worsening air quality in many parts of the country, including in capital Delhi. The verdict was delivered by a bench of Justices AK Sikri and Ashok Bhushan which had reserved its verdict on August 28.
The top court issued a series of guidelines on manufacturing, sale and bursting of firecrackers, which will impact celebrations this Diwali.
This order will apply throughout India.
Here is what you should know about the Supreme Court verdict before Diwali:
1. The Supreme Court has not put a blanket ban on sale and manufacture of firecrackers but has imposed certain restrictions.
2. The Supreme Court has banned mixed series crackers (laris), high decibel crackers, and crackers containing lead, arsenic, antimony, lithium, and mercury during Diwali and all religious festivals, New Year celebrations and marriages.
3. The apex court has allowed the sale and manufacture of "green" crackers which have low emission.
4. Firecrackers with permissible decibel sound limits only will be allowed to be sold in the market, the Supreme Court said.
5. Firecrackers already manufactured that do not conform to the above standards cannot be sold in Delhi-NCR.
6. Licensed traders alone can manufacture the firecrackers.
7. The top court has restrained e-commerce websites like Flipkart and Amazon from selling firecrackers which are beyond the permissible limit. E-commerce websites will be hauled up for contempt of court if they don't adhere to court's direction.
8. Bursting of firecrackers on Diwali and other festivals will only be allowed between 8 pm to 10 pm. For Christmas and New year, time for bursting crackers will be from 11.55 pm to 12.30 am.
9. Station house officers (SHOs) of police station concerned will be held liable if banned firecrackers are sold in their area. The SHO of the concerned police station will be hauled for contempt, the Supreme Court said.
10. The apex court also asked the Centre to encourage community cracker bursting during Diwali and other festivals in Delhi-NCR. It has directed all states to explore the feasibility of community cracker bursting during festivals.
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