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The Supreme Court has refused to lift the ban on the manufacture, storage, and sale of firecrackers in Delhi-NCR.
A bench of Justice Abhay S Oka and Justice Ujjwal Bhuiyan said the air pollution level in the region remains hazardous.
The court noted that a large section of the population works outdoors and is the most affected by pollution. It added that not everyone can afford air purifiers at home or work to counter poor air quality.
During the hearing, the amicus curiae informed the court that the firecracker ban had helped reduce pollution by 30%.
However, petitioner Mukesh Jain argued that the sulfur in firecrackers purifies the air.
Justice Oka dismissed this claim and questioned whether Jain was an expert in the field. Jain further accused the main petitioner, environmentalist MC Mehta, of receiving donations from anti-India foreign organizations.
The court rejected Jain’s petition but refrained from imposing a fine, stating that it was his first such act.
However, Jain urged the court to investigate his allegations against MC Mehta, offering to pay a fine if his claims were proven false.
The court reiterated that multiple orders issued in the past six months highlight the alarming pollution levels in Delhi.
It emphasized that the right to health and a pollution-free environment is a fundamental part of Article 21 of the Constitution.
The court stated that it would not reconsider the ban unless it was proven that green crackers cause minimal pollution.
On December 12 last year, the Supreme Court directed Delhi-NCR, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan to take a final decision on banning firecrackers throughout the year.
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