The ban on selling and stockpiling of firecrackers will continue in Delhi and NCR as the Supreme Court today refused to modify its earlier order of suspension of licences of traders dealing in such explosive material.
A bench of Justices M B Lokur and P C Pant refused to modify the order and directed the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) to prepare a inventory of existing firecrackers with the traders and suggest measures for their disposal.
The bench while hearing a plea of traders who sought a direction to modify its earlier order and allow them to dispose of their existing stock by selling it outside Delhi-NCR, refused to give any relief.
“No, you cannot be allowed to sell or dispose of the stock in Bombay or elsewhere and create pollution,” the bench said.
It said that first the stocks will be inventorised by CPCB and then it will look into the pleas of traders.
Senior advocate Rajeev Dhawan, appearing for 68 traders, said that they have stocks and they can either burn these or dispose these by selling outside Delhi-NCR.
He said that FIRs are being lodged against businessmen for even keeping the stock and hence the court should pass a direction that till the stocks are inventorised no coercive action be taken against them.
Senior advocate Salman Khurshid, appearing for some of the manufacturers, said that they are ready to follow the guidelines.
“Not all firecrackers create pollution. We can amend the composition of chemicals, if we know what is prescribed limit,” he said.
The bench said that earlier interim passed by the court will continue till further orders.
Meanwhile, CPCB told the court that chemical compositions of firecrackers which are commonly used exceeds some of the prescribed parameters which may have harmful effects.
( Source – PTI )
