No firecrackers this Diwali in Delhi says SC

In its order, the SC said that there will be no sale of firecrackers this year. It went on to bring back its order of November 2016 when it had banned the sale of firecrackers.

The Supreme Court has banned the sale of firecrackers during Diwali this year in the National Capital Region. On Friday the Supreme Court had reserved its order on a plea for re-imposing a ban on selling firecrackers in the NCR.

In its order, the SC said that there will be no sale of firecrackers this year. It went on to bring back its order of November 2016 when it had banned the sale of firecrackers.

While passing the order, the SC said that let us try out at least one Diwali without firecrackers. The court also went on to say that firecrackers will be available in the NCR from November 1 onwards. The graded reduction in the sale of crackers will start from November 1 onwards, the SC also said.

Diwali is on October 19 and the order effectively means that no firecrackers will be available for purchase before the festival.

A bench headed by Justice A K Sikri said the apex court's September 12 order temporarily lifting the stay and permitting sale of firecrackers would be effective from November 1.

During the last hearing on the plea seeking restoration of last year's order, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) had told the bench that they "support" the application.

Advocate Gopal Shankarnarayanan, appearing for petitioner Arjun Gopal, had contended before the court that ban on use of firecrackers should be restored as the NCR had witnessed a huge rise in air pollution during and after Diwali last year.

OneIndia News