The court also directed the Delhi government to decide upon a permanent ban on firecrackers within the NCR by November 25. New Delhi: An angry Supreme Court Monday had strong words for Delhi Police, demanding “immediate action” against the sale and bursting of firecrackers in the city’s annual activity that brazenly defies an existing ban—even days after Diwali. The court observed sharply that “no religion encourages pollution.”
“No religion encourages any activity which creates pollution. If firecrackers are burst in this fashion. it also affects the fundamental right to health of the citizens,” said a bench of Justice Abhay S Oka and Justice Augustine George Masih, hearing a case on Delhi’s yearly air quality crisis.
The court has also sought to direct the Delhi government to decide on the permanent ban on firecrackers in the national capital by November 25. These devices keep the city under a continuous blanket of toxic smog, smothering its residents and seriously jeopardizing their health.
Today’s hearing follows last week’s reprimanding of the Delhi government and police for not acting to implement and enforce the ban on firecrackers announced before Diwali each year and little or none enforced.
The chief of Delhi Police today filed an affidavit explaining the steps taken, but the court, which earlier said that it appears quite obvious that the ban has, so far, failed to work, remained unimpressed.
“There are widespread news reports that the ban on firecrackers (in Delhi NCR) was not implemented at all,” the court said last week. Today, it asked, “After October 14, did the police go and stop the sale of firecrackers?” The police said “yes” but were shot down.
