Supreme Court permits sale and manufacture of "green" crackers, fixes time for bursting firecrackers
New Delhi, Oct 23 : The Supreme Court Tuesday permitted the sale and manufacture of low emission "green" firecrackers countrywide and fixed a two-hour time period from 8 pm to 10 pm for bursting them on Diwali and other festivals.
A bench comprising Justices A K Sikri and Ashok Bhushan also restrained e-commerce websites like Flipkart and Amazon from selling firecrackers which were beyond the permissible limit.
The apex court's order came on a plea seeking a ban on manufacture and sale of firecrackers across the country to curb air pollution. The bench also said that e-commerce websites will be hauled up for contempt of court if they don't adhere to the court's direction.
"Firecrackers with permissible decibel sound limits will only be allowed to be sold in the market," the bench said.
It also asked the Centre to encourage community cracker bursting during Diwali and other festivals in Delhi-NCR and directed all states to explore feasibility of community cracker bursting during festivals.
It also said that Station House Officers of police stations concerned will be held liable if banned firecrackers are sold in their area.
The top court had earlier said there is a need to take into account all aspects, including the fundamental right of livelihood of firecracker manufacturers and the right to health of over 1.3 billion people in the country, while considering a plea for the ban.
The apex court had said the Article 21 (right to life) of Constitution applies to both segments of people and it needs to maintain a balance while considering a countrywide ban on firecrackers.
It had asked the Centre to suggest measures for curbing pollution and the effect of firecrackers on the public at large.
Firecracker manufacturers earlier told the court that use of crackers should not be completely banned and it should instead be strictly regulated.
They had contended that crackers are not the reason for increase in air pollution and there are other factors, like wind and temperature, which contribute to it.
They had said firecracker manufacturers can be deprived of their right to do business based on statements which were not supported by facts.
On October 9 last year, the top court temporarily banned the sale of firecrackers ahead of Diwali.
Later, the court refused to relax its order while dismissing a plea by traders who had sought permission to sell crackers for at least a day or two before Diwali on October 19, 2017.
The apex court said its ban order during Diwali that year was an experiment to examine its effect on pollution levels in the region.
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Yugadi celebrated with fervour in Karnataka; markets bustle, temples see heavy footfall
Bengaluru (PTI): Yugadi, marking the Kannada New Year, was celebrated across Karnataka on Thursday with traditional fervour and gaiety, with people thronging temples and marketplaces to usher in the festival.
Markets across the capital city witnessed heavy rush since early morning, as people purchased flowers, raw mangoes, fruits and other festive essentials.
The iconic KR Market here has been witnessing large crowds for the past two days, with vendors reporting brisk business amid the festive surge.
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The rains for the past two days in Bengaluru could not diminish the festive mood of the city.
The KR Market was the bustling hotspot on Thursday morning.
“There is huge rush of people for the past two days and this morning it peaked,” Manjunath, a flower vendor at the market said, adding that demand for mango leaves and flowers remained high.
Homes were decked up with fresh ‘Toranas’ made of mango leaves, while courtyards were adorned with colourful rangoli designs as part of the celebrations.
Families prepared traditional delicacies and followed customary rituals associated with the festival.
Devotees visited temples in large numbers to offer special prayers and seek blessings for prosperity and well-being in the new year.
“We prayed for health, happiness and a good year ahead,” V Jyothi, who visited the centuries old Vasantha Vallabharaya Swamy Temple in Bengaluru South told PTI.
The festive spirit was visible across the state, with cultural and religious activities adding to the celebratory mood.
