NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court sent notice to Delhi government and police, seeking their response over why the order banning the use of firecrackers during Diwali wasn’t implemented. It has also directed the state and the police as to suggest measures for better implementation of the ban order in the coming years.
“There cannot be a dispute that the ban was hardly implemented. Moreover the effect of non implementation of the ban is very apparent from the report which shows that the pollution level in Delhi was at all time high. It was much higher than that of 2022 and 2023. Moreover the report indicates that even farm fires were on the rise during Diwali,” the apex court noted as reported by LiveLaw.
“We direct Delhi government to respond to file the detail affidavit putting on record the orders banning use of firecrackers and the steps taken by the Delhi government to implement the same. We issue notice to the Commissioner of Police Delhi calling on him to file an affidavit indicating the steps taken by the police to enforce the complete ban on use of firecrackers in Delhi,” it ordered.
It also directed the Haryana and the Punjab government to provide details of stubble burning in the last ten days of October noting a rise in the instances of farm fires.
“We also direct governments of Haryana and Punjab to file affidavits indicating the details about number of instances of stubble burning during the last 10 days of October,” it said.
The Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) had issued a notification banning the manufacturing, storage, sale, and use of firecrackers in the city until January 1, 2025. It had also asked Delhi Police to implement the ban.