New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday directed Delhi Police to take “immediate action” to halt the sale and use of firecrackers in the city, highlighting that “no religion encourages pollution” as it reprimanded authorities for allowing the defiance of an existing ban, even days after Diwali.
“No religion endorses activities that cause pollution. When firecrackers are burst like this, it infringes upon citizens’ fundamental right to health,” stated a bench of Justice Abhay S Oka and Justice Augustine George Masih, during a hearing on Delhi’s persistent air quality crisis.
The court also instructed the Delhi government to decide on implementing a permanent ban on firecrackers—which leave behind chemical residues that fill the air with toxic smog, severely endangering residents’ health—by November 25.
Today’s hearing comes after last week’s reprimand of the Delhi government and police, who were both issued notices to explain to the court why they failed to implement and enforce the annual Diwali firecracker ban, which is announced each year yet has minimal impact.
In response, the Delhi Police chief filed an affidavit today outlining steps taken to enforce the firecracker ban, but the court, which had previously remarked that the ban appeared ineffective, remained unconvinced.
“There are widespread news reports indicating that the firecracker ban in Delhi NCR was not enforced at all,” the court observed last week. Today, it questioned, “After October 14, did the police actively work to stop the sale of firecrackers?” Although the police responded affirmatively, the court dismissed the claim.
“This is all eyewash,” the court remarked.
The police also cited the late notification of the firecracker ban as a challenge, but the court was unsympathetic, noting, “… it’s evident that the police did not take the implementation of the order seriously. The affidavit lacks any indication that the ban was communicated to manufacturers and stores making or selling firecrackers in Delhi.”
The court directed the Commissioner of Police to “immediately enforce the ban and ensure that all relevant parties are informed, so that no manufacturer or seller supplies firecrackers during the ban period.”
The Delhi government also faced scrutiny from the court, which questioned the delayed announcement of the ban. “It’s likely that by the time the ban was enacted, individuals who use firecrackers during the ban had already stocked up.”
On the Monday after Diwali (November 13), the Air Quality Index (AQI) in Delhi dropped into the “severe” category citywide, with readings surpassing the 400 mark (on a scale of 500) in neighborhoods like Anand Vihar, Rohini, Ashok Vihar, and Vivek Vihar.
PM2.5 particles, with diameters of 2.5 micrometers or less, are hazardous to health. The acceptable annual standard is 40 micrograms per cubic meter, and these particles can significantly harm respiratory health when present in high concentrations.
