SC tells UP, Haryana to ban crackers in NCR region to curb air pollution

New Delhi, Dec 19 (IANS) The Supreme Court on Thursday asked the Uttar Pradesh and Haryana governments to impose a complete ban on firecrackers in the areas falling under the NCR region.

A bench, headed by Justice Abhay S. Oka, said that the ban already imposed by the Delhi and Rajasthan governments will turn effective only when the remaining states impose similar measures.

The Bench, also comprising Justice A.G. Masih, was hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) relating to the control of pollution in Delhi and NCR region.

In the course of the hearing, the apex court was told that while Haryana had permitted the use of green crackers, Rajasthan had imposed a complete ban on firecrackers in the NCR region.

It asked the Uttar Pradesh and Haryana governments to impose a ban on firecrackers in the same terms as imposed in Delhi and posted the matter for further hearing on January 15, 2025.

Also, the top court directed the governments of Delhi and NCR states to constitute teams for strict implementation of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP)-IV norms.

In an earlier hearing, the Supreme Court had asked the state governments of Delhi and adjoining states to take a call on a permanent ban on the use of firecrackers.

Asking the state governments to place their stand on record, it had indicated issuing necessary guidelines, including on the manufacture, storage, sale and distribution of firecrackers.

"The ban on firecrackers will be helpful not only to curb the air pollution but the noise pollution as well. We will consider issuing necessary directions to the state governments on the issue of ban on use of firecrackers," it had said.

Earlier in November, after Diwali, the Supreme Court had remarked that the ban on firecrackers was hardly implemented in the national capital and pulled up the Delhi government for not implementing the firecrackers ban. It had called for an affidavit from the Delhi government and Police Commissioner detailing the steps taken to enforce the same.

The apex court had suggested that the premises of sellers of firecrackers should be sealed, apart from enforcing a ban on importing firecrackers from neighbouring states.

The Delhi government, in September this year, issued a notification imposing a ban on firecrackers till January 1, 2025, to mitigate air pollution in winter.

Delhi's Environment Minister Gopal Rai had said that to keep the air clean in the national capital, a notification was issued to mitigate pollution caused by firecrackers by banning their use in the winter months. The notification also banned online sales and delivery of firecrackers in Delhi.

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