Diwali: Telangana high court orders ban on sale, bursting of firecrackers

A division bench also directed the government to close firecracker shops and penalise those who violate the ban. The court asked the government to give wide publicity to content on ill-effects of bursting firecrackers during the pandemic via electronic and print media.

Two days before Diwali, the Telangana high court on Thursday ordered a complete ban on the sale and purchase of firecrackers for the rest of the year citing the Covid-19 pandemic.

Representational Image. (PTI)

A division bench comprising chief justice Raghavendra Chowhan and justice B Vijayasen Reddy issued the order on lawyer Puligilla Indra Prakash petition. It directed the government to close firecracker shops and penalise those who violate the ban.

The court asked the government to give wide publicity to content on ill-effects of bursting firecrackers during the pandemic via electronic and print media.

“The court agreed with the contentions that the pollution from the crackers would escalate the spread of Covid-19 and that was precisely why many other states have banner firecrackers,” said Prakash.

The court backed the argument that since people were frequently using alcohol-based sanitisers, bursting of crackers during Diwali would pose an additional threat.

“Moreover, physical distancing is not possible during the celebrations. Children and senior citizens are more vulnerable since it is not possible to identify people who are already affected by the virus,” Prakash said.

Advocate general B S Prasad told the court the government had not so far taken any decision on banning firecrackers. He added necessary steps would be taken as per the National Green Tribunal’s guidelines.

The court posted the case for the next hearing on November 19 when the government has been asked to file a report on the measures taken to implement the ban and the penalties awarded to the violators.