Supreme Court bans sale of firecrackers in Delhi, NCR

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday has banned the sale of firecrackers in Delhi-NCR in an attempt to keep the rising pollution level of the capital and its surrounding areas under check.

However, there is no restriction on bursting crackers as it would be difficult to implement and monitor, the apex court has said.

According to the order, the licences of the existing firecrackers sellers will be suspended and the government will not issue new licences to any seller in this region.


The Supreme Court has also asked the Central Pollution Control Board to study the harmful effects of the materials used in firecrackers and submit its report in three months.

This year, Diwali fire crackers pushed pollution level in Delhi to a dangerous level, worst in three years.

On Diwali night, PM 10 ranged from 448 (micrograms per cubic metre) g/m3 to 939 g/m3 in Delhi as against the national safe standard of 100 g/m3, Delhi Pollution Control Committee said.

A petition on Change.org seeking a blanket ban on firecrackers in Delhi was doing the rounds as it gathered over 14,000 signatures.

It may be noted that the Supreme Court had rejected a plea to ban firecrackers during Diwali in 2015 and pulled up the Centre for failing to spread awareness.