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Delhi govt's big Diwali move, to seek Supreme Court nod for use of green firecrackers
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said the government is committed to effectively curb pollution and protect the environment.
The Delhi government will approach Supreme Court to allow the use of green firecrackers ahead of Diwali, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said, terming Diwali as the most significant religious festival of Indian culture.
“Keeping in mind the sentiments of crores of people in Delhi, our government has requested the Supreme Court to allow the use of green firecrackers in Delhi during the festival,” Gupta said adding that the government will seek permission for use of certified green firecrackers with adherence to government regulations.
The Delhi chief minister said the government is committed to effectively curb pollution and protect the environment. “All green firecrackers must be manufactured by authorised agencies and certified by competent and relevant departments,” she said.
Earlier, the Supreme Court allowed certified manufacturers to produce green crackers on the condition that their sale is not carried in Delhi-NCR without approval.
A bench headed by Chief Justice B R Gavai also asked the Centre to take a fresh look at the absolute ban on the manufacture of firecrackers in Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR).
“In the meantime, we permit the manufacturers who are having the certification of green crackers as certified by NEERI (National Environmental Engineering Research Institute) as well as PESO (Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation) to manufacture. However, this will be subject to an undertaking by the manufacturers to this court that until further orders passed by this court, they would not sell any of their crackers in the prohibited areas," it ordered.
The conditional order permitting certified manufacturers to produce green crackers till the plea is heard again on October 8 on filing of the MoEFCC report on the issue assumes significance as earlier on April 3, a bench headed by former top court judge Justice A S Oka, refused to relax the ban on the manufacture, storage and sale on firecrackers in Delhi-NCR.
