SC reserves verdict on plea to ban crackers

‘Will try to give judgment on Monday’

NEW DELHI 06/10/2017: Awaiting customer with Diwali around - Scene at a fire cracker shop near Jama Masjid, on Friday. The Supreme Court is hearing a plea to restore ban on firecrackers in NCR Delhi. Photo Sandeep Saxena

The Supreme Court on Friday reserved its verdict on whether firecrackers would be sold in Delhi-National Capital Region during the upcoming festival of Diwali.

The Bench headed by Justice A. K. Sikri said it would “try” to deliver the judgment on Monday. The apex court was hearing a plea seeking restoration of its last year’s order banning the sale of firecrackers in Delhi-NCR.

The Central Pollution Control Board told the Bench that they “support” the plea and seek restoration of the SC’s November 11, 2016, order that suspended all licences that “permit sale of fireworks, wholesale and retail within the territory of NCR”.

‘Need graded approach’

On September 12 this year,

t he apex court had temporarily lifted the order saying a complete ban would be an “extreme step” and a graded approach was needed to curb pollution caused by them.