SC reprimands Delhi Police for poor execution of firecracker ban

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday strongly condemned the Delhi police for failing to implement a complete ban on firecrackers in the National Capital Region (NCR). The apex court stated living in a pollution-free atmosphere is the fundamental right of the people. The court believed that police did nothing except seize some raw materials, considering such efforts inadequate. Therefore, the air quality of Delhi further deteriorated.

A bench led by Justices Abhay S. Oka and Augustine George Masih asked the Delhi Police Commissioner to establish a special cell, and their main duty would be to check the firecracker ban in the city. The court also demanded a personal affidavit from the commissioner regarding the steps taken in implementing the ban.

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The higher court further added that no religion promotes pollution that leads to harm to the public health. SC further added that Article 21 of the Constitution advocates for a clear atmosphere, which is a fundamental right of every citizen of the country. The court ordered the Delhi government to ban firecrackers in toto by November 25.

This decision comes from SC due to increasing pollution levels in Delhi following Diwali, leaving last year’s figures behind. The Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) has announced the ban, production and sale of firecrackers till January 1, 2025. It is the duty of the Delhi Police to implement the ban forcefully.

The court also expressed its unhappiness over the ineffective measures taken to control the stubble burning in nearby states of Delhi, which contributed a lot to surging the pollution levels and making the air quality severe in the national capital.