New Delhi: The Supreme Court today lifted the ban on sale of firecrackers in Delhi NCR and directed to constitute a committee to be chaired by the Chairperson of the Central Pollution Control Board, (CPCB), in connection with the plea of banning firecrackers. It allowed the Delhi police to issue licences to shopkeepers for selling firecrackers. A bench of the Apex Court, headed by Justice Madan B Lockur, passed the order after hearing a petition filed by one, Arjun Gopal, seeking a ban on firecrackers in Delhi and NCR. The committee, consisting of eight other officers, will have to submit a report by December 31, 2017.
The Apex Court said that the committee will see, find out and submit a detailed report regarding the health hazards of firecrackers of people during the festive season, especially on Dussehra and Diwali. The Top court further made it clear that there would be no fire crackers in silence zones. The Supreme Court also ordered that the Delhi police would strictly issue licences not more than 500 for selling of firecrackers in Delhi. (UNI)