The highest court in the land was in session, considering a plea urging the Rajasthan government to adhere to their previous rulings, which prohibited the use of fireworks containing harmful substances like barium salts and other pollutants.
Breaking News from New Delhi:
The Supreme Court has just made a significant clarification regarding firecracker usage to combat pollution. Their 2021 ruling, which permits only the use of eco-friendly ‘green’ firecrackers, is now applicable not just in Delhi-NCR, but across the entire country. The bench noted an interesting shift, observing that nowadays, it’s primarily adults who engage in firework displays, rather than children. They emphasized that safeguarding the environment is a collective responsibility
Addressing a petition urging the Rajasthan government to enforce the court’s directive against firecrackers containing harmful chemicals like barium salts, which contribute to air and noise pollution during festivals, Justices AS Bopanna and MM Sundresh remarked that no new instructions were necessary. They stressed that Supreme Court rulings are universally binding and urged Rajasthan to adhere to their prior guidance on this matter.
In their 2021 decision, the Supreme Court clarified that while there isn’t an outright ban on firecracker use, those containing barium salts are strictly prohibited. They expressed concern over this rule being flouted and issued a stern warning that high-ranking officials would be personally accountable for any oversights.
Back in 2018, the court set specific time slots for bursting firecrackers. They said it was okay between 8 pm and 10 pm on Diwali, and between 11:55 pm and 12:30 am for New Year and Christmas.
During the recent hearing, the bench mentioned, “Right now, we don’t need to give any specific orders, because we’ve already issued several orders to reduce air and noise pollution. These rules apply to every state in the country, including Rajasthan.”
They need to implement measures to curb air and noise pollution, not just around festivals, but consistently throughout the year,” they emphasized.
The petitioner’s representative told the court that during festivals, there’s a noticeable increase in noise and air pollution in Rajasthan. They also requested a direction to the Udaipur administration because of the weddings happening there.
The lawyer representing Rajasthan said, “Everyone should make an effort to use fewer fireworks on Diwali. Nowadays, it’s usually the adults who do it, not the children,” he pointed out.
The court also pointed out that some people think it’s only the court’s job to tackle pollution and protect the environment, but that’s not true. It’s everyone’s responsibility.
Earlier in the day, while discussing a petition about pollution in Delhi, where the Air Quality Index was over 400 (meaning very poor air quality), the Supreme Court emphasized that this shouldn’t become a political issue. They emphasized that the poor air quality is harming people’s health significantly.
