Firecracker Ban In Delhi Was 'Hardly' Implemented, Says Supreme Court

The Supreme Court came down heavily on the Delhi government and the Delhi police on Monday for their lackadaisical attitude in implementing the firecracker ban in the national capital and has sought their responses for the same.

A division bench of the court comprising Justices Abhay S. Oka and Augustine George Masih highlighted the fact that pollution levels in Delhi after this year's Diwali were much higher compared with pollution levels after the 2022 and 2023 Diwali. This, coupled with rising instances of farm fires, is a cause of serious concern, the court observed.

The top court said that the Delhi government and the Delhi police must come up with solutions so that the same mistakes are not repeated in the future.

In addition, the court has sought the Punjab & Haryana government's response on the menace of farm fires, as this, too, is a huge contributor to the annual pollution problem faced by the capital city.

During the hearing, the court also floated the idea of a perpetual ban on firecracker sales in Delhi.

The apex court said that shops were openly selling banned crackers and iterated that the effect of non-implementation of the ban is quite evident on the face of it. "Sealing shops that are selling these firecrackers will set a strong precedent for future," the court remarked.

Residents of Delhi woke up to AQI levels surpassing the 350 mark on Nov. 1 as the capital region ignored the citywide ban of crackers. A glimmer of hope came from the above-normal temperatures and some winds in the city, which helped in dispersing the pollutants.

The case will now come up for a hearing on Nov. 14, when the state governments of Delhi, Punjab, and Haryana, along with the Delhi police, will have to face the music.