The Supreme Court observed on Monday that no religion supports activities that contribute to air pollution. It has directed the Delhi government to decide on implementing a permanent ban on firecrackers in the capital by November 25.
"The right to live in a pollution-free atmosphere is a fundamental right under Article 21 of the Constitution. We believe that no religion promotes actions that cause pollution or harm public health," stated the bench, consisting of Justices Abhay S. Oka and Augustine George Masih.
The court instructed the Delhi police to set up a special cell dedicated to enforcing the cracker ban and to hold Station House Officers (SHOs) accountable for implementing the order, which was initially enforced by the Delhi government on October 14.
The court also mandated that the Commissioner of Delhi Police submit an affidavit by November 25, detailing whether notices had been sent to all cracker manufacturers regarding the ban. Additionally, the police were asked to report on measures taken to curb the online sale of crackers.
Furthermore, the Supreme Court directed all states within the National Capital Region (NCR) to update the court on the steps they are taking to control air pollution. The bench noted that the Delhi police had not taken the ban enforcement seriously.
