Ban On Polluting Firecrackers Across Country, Not Just Delhi: Supreme Court
NDTV
The Supreme Court was hearing a petition seeking directions to the Rajasthan government to follow the court's orders banning the use of firecrackers that use barium salts and other polluting chemicals.
In a key clarification aimed at checking pollution, the Supreme Court has said that its 2021 order allowing only the use of green firecrackers will apply not just to Delhi-NCR but across the country. During the hearing, the bench observed that children don't burst fireworks "these days" and it's the adults who do it, and also said that protecting the environment was everybody's duty.
Hearing a petition seeking directions to the Rajasthan government to follow the court's orders banning the use of firecrackers that use barium salts and other polluting chemicals - and curbing air and noise pollution during festive periods - a bench of Justices AS Bopanna and MM Sundresh said no new directions were needed. It said Supreme Court orders were binding across the country and asked Rajasthan to take note of its previous directives on the issue.
In 2021, the Supreme Court had said that while there is no total ban on the use of firecrackers, those containing Barium salts are prohibited. It noted that this was being blatantly violated and warned that top officials at various levels "shall be held personally liable" for any lapses.
