New Delhi:
The Supreme Court has demanded Delhi Police take “immediate action” to stop the sale and bursting of firecrackers in the national capital – an annual activity in open defiance of an existing ban – even days after Diwali, observing sharply that “no religion encourages pollution”.
“No religion encourages any activity which creates pollution. If firecrackers are burst in this fashion… it also affects fundamental right to health of the citizens,” a bench of Justice Abhay S Oka and Justice Agustine George Masih, hearing a case on Delhi’s yearly air quality crisis, said.
The court also demanded the Delhi government take a decision on a permanent ban on firecrackers – the chemical residue of which blankets the city in cloud of toxic smog that smothers residents and severely endangers their health – in the city by November 25.
Today’s hearing follows last week’s reprimand for the Delhi government and police, each of which was issued a notice to explain to the court why they had failed to implement and enforce the ban on firecrackers, which is announced before Diwali every year and has little or no effect.
In response, today the Delhi Police chief filed an affidavit explaining steps taken but the court – which earlier pointed out it appears quite obvious the ban had, so far, failed to work – was unimpressed. “After October 14 did the police go and stop sale of firecrackers at places where licences were granted?” the court asked, to which the police said, “Yes.”
“This is all eyewash… what you seized was raw material of crackers,” the court shot back.