By Admin 
On Diwali, the Supreme Court has given a big gift to the people of Delhi-NCR. The court has lifted the ban on the sale of green firecrackers in Delhi-NCR and has also given permission to burn firecrackers. Chief Justice Bhushan Ramakrishna Gavai said that the court considered the suggestions of Solicitor General Tushar Mehta and Amicus Curiae, in which they had recommended giving this relief to firecracker manufacturers and people on the festival.
CJI Gavai said that smuggling of firecrackers other than green firecrackers is a matter of concern. We have to adopt a balanced approach. The court said that 14 districts of Haryana are in NCR i.e. 70 percent of the state is affected by the ban on firecrackers. In the last hearing, SG Tushar Mehta had requested the court to allow people to burst crackers on the festival. Firecracker manufacturers had also argued that there was a need to pay attention to stubble burning and vehicular pollution, but only firecrackers were being targeted. The court had also asked the government whether the Air Quality Index (AQI) had decreased after the ban on firecrackers in 2018, then the court was told that there was no significant impact.
Who can sell firecrackers?
The court also said that the ban on firecrackers has not had much impact on the pollution of Delhi-NCR and we have to keep in mind the spirit of celebration and the interest of the people associated with the firecracker industry. NCT and the Central Government had also requested the court for concession regarding firecrackers. However, exemption for the sale of firecrackers is available only to those producers who have licenses from the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) and Petroleum and Explosive Safety Organization (PESO).
Till what time is permission to burn firecrackers?
The court has said that producers licensed by NEERI are allowed to sell firecrackers at limited places from October 18 to 20. The court also directed the patrolling team to monitor and said that the samples should be examined. The court said that crackers with QR codes should be sold and action should be taken against those selling wrong crackers. The court also said that bursting of firecrackers is allowed from 6 to 7 in the morning and from 8 to 10 in the evening on the day before Diwali and on the day of Diwali.