NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Thursday said it was not inclined to impose a complete ban on firecrackers in Delhi-NCR, but warned authorities against pushing it to take a “very harsh stand” by failing to enforce its orders on the ground.A bench of Justices MM Sundresh and Prasanna B Varale said repeated judicial directions would serve little purpose unless authorities ensured compliance, stressing that air pollution affected “every living being”.“We are not inclined to completely ban but don’t push us to take a very harsh stand,” the bench said as reported by news agency PTI. The Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati outlined measures taken by the Delhi government and the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to tackle pollution.“There is no point in passing orders and directions unless you give effect to them on the ground, otherwise, it becomes a mockery,” the bench observed.The court said the matter was not adversarial and called for serious action and cooperation from all stakeholders to regulate the use of firecrackers.“Every year we are trying to balance it out but unless there is cooperation from everyone, it can’t be done,” the bench said, adding that the concerned officers must be present on the ground to monitor implementation.The bench also suggested roping in prominent personalities, including sportspersons, to spread public awareness about the harmful effects of firecrackers.Bhati told the court that the Delhi government had drawn up an extensive plan to tackle the pollution season. Measures scheduled to come into effect from November include curbs on older vehicles and construction and demolition activities, along with staggered office timings.
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The Centre informed the court that internal consultations on the use of barium in firecrackers were still under way. Bhati sought three weeks to complete the process, and the bench said it would consider the issue after that period.The Supreme Court was hearing two petitions, including a suo motu case on air pollution in the National Capital Region covering firecrackers, stubble burning and solid waste management. The other petition seeks a ban on the manufacture of firecrackers.
