SC lifts ban on sale of firecrackers in Delhi, to review order after Diwali

The apex court, however, said its order lifting the suspension of permanent licences might require a review after Diwali.

Supreme Court on Tuesday lifted the ban on the sale of firecrackers in Delhi and NCR by modifying its order of November last year.

The apex court has allowed the Delhi Police to issue licenses to shopkeepers for sale of firecrackers. The court has directed the police to not issue more than 500 licenses for selling of firecrackers in Delhi.

The apex court, however, said its order lifting the suspension of permanent licences might require a review after Diwali, depending on the ambient air quality after the festival.

The top court appointed a committee, to be headed by the chairperson of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), to conduct a research on the impact of bursting fire crackers during the festive season of Dussehra and Diwali on the health of the people, said a PTI report.

The bench, comprising of Justices M B Lokur and Deepak Gupta, directed the police authorities and district magistrates to ensure that fire crackers are not burst in "silence zones", an area of at least 100 metres from hospitals, health care centres, educational institutions, courts and religious places or any other area that has been declared a 'silence zone' by the authorities.

The court's order came on the plea of fire cracker manufacturers who has sought relaxation of its order of November 11 last year suspending all licences which permit sale of fire works, wholesale and retail within the territory of NCR.

OneIndia News with PTI inputs