The Supreme Court on Monday called for a practical approach to regulating firecrackers in Delhi-NCR, stressing that efforts to tackle air pollution must take public health concerns into account without hurting religious sentiments.
The court said it was not inclined to impose a blanket ban and urged people to voluntarily adopt safer ways of celebrating.
The court was hearing suo motu proceedings concerning air pollution in Delhi-NCR, covering issues such as firecrackers, crop residue burning and solid waste management. CJI Kant assured that the court would not hurt religious sentiments but urged people to voluntarily adopt safer practices. The amicus curiae also highlighted the health risks posed by air pollution, particularly to elderly people, children and those who are infirm. However, he submitted that restrictions on firecrackers were unlikely to be effective without proper enforcement. “It sounds really nice in Court, that it is only two hours or one hour. But the Court also knows that it is not implemented. It is impossible for police officers to be in every street all the time. It will not be implemented.
A Bench comprising Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice V Mohana said public awareness and cooperation from citizens would be more effective in encouraging responsible celebrations. These arguments do not work on the ground,” said the amicus.
