New Delhi, November 11: The Supreme Court has directed the Delhi Police to set up a special cell dedicated to enforcing the ban on firecrackers in the capital. This comes after the Court’s strong remarks that no religion supports activities that cause pollution, emphasizing the fundamental right of citizens to live in a pollution-free environment.
In its ruling, the Court also asked the Delhi government to decide on a permanent firecracker ban by November 25. The bench, led by Justices Abhay S Oka and Augustine George Masih, pointed out that the current air quality in Delhi is a serious health risk and should be addressed urgently.
The Court noted that the Delhi Police had failed to take the ban seriously. It ordered the Commissioner of Delhi Police to file an affidavit by November 25 detailing steps taken to enforce the ban, including whether notices had been sent to cracker manufacturers and efforts to curb online sales.
The Court also questioned why the Delhi government had delayed the ban until October 14, despite rising pollution levels. On Monday, Delhi’s air quality was recorded in the 'very poor' category, with some areas showing 'severe' pollution levels.
The Supreme Court also instructed all states in the National Capital Region (NCR) to report on their actions to control air pollution.