Supreme Court refuses ban on sale of firecrackers; bans e-commerce websites from selling crackers
In an attempt to reduce the pollution level in the country, a plea was filed in Supreme Court for a complete ban on sale and use of firecrackers but the apex court has rejected the plea and allowed the sale of firecrackers with certain conditions.
The pollution level in the Delhi-NCR increases at an alarming rate after the Diwali celebrations but the apex court has ruled that sale can be made through a licensed vendor only and only for 2 hours in a day, the crackers can be fired.
Supreme Court has disallowed a complete ban on firecrackers rather has said that the crackers can fired only in between 8pm to 10pm and that too only on Diwali and has asked agencies to monitor the pollution level at every juncture.
The apex court in the decision has also said that only less polluting and 'green' crackers can be fired, which are usually less polluting in nature.
A partial ban has been made on the vendors but a complete ban on selling of firecrackers has been made for online portals like Amazon and Flipkart. The e-retailers cannot sell or purchase firecrackers in any condition, the Supreme Court has ruled.
The Supreme Court, in its order, banned the online sale of firecrackers and put a stay on the e-commerce portals from selling firecrackers. https://t.co/D6daxnGRqD
— ANI (@ANI) October 23, 2018
Sale of every firecrackers, which have certain elements that pollute the environment at a large scale, are also banned by the Supreme Court. As per the latest pollution data, the Delhi-NCR is reeling under a national health emergency due to the polluted air and a toxic created through it.
The Delhi High Court had acknowledged and observed earlier that 'Delhi has become a gas chamber.'
First published: 23 October 2018, 11:00 IST