New Delhi: The National Capital Region states on Friday urged the Supreme Court that bursting of green firecrackers be allowed in Delhi-NCR. Solicitor
General Tushar Mehta, appearing for NCR states, told a bench of Chief Justice B R Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran that on Diwali, bursting of green crackers be permitted from 8 pm to 10 pm. "We have made suggestions," Mehta told the bench, adding they have suggested some kind of a balanced approach which the court may consider. He said bursting of fire crackers may be allowed in the NCR subject to the conditions, including that only green crackers as approved by the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) be permitted to be manufactured and sold. Mehta said it would be ensured by the NCR states, Delhi government and the Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO) that joint fire crackers or 'laris' are not manufactured, sold and used. He suggested that sale of crackers should only be through licensed traders and it shall be ensured that they are selling only permitted crackers. "It shall be ensured by the NCR state governments, GNCTD and PESO that no e-commerce website, including Flipkart, Amazon etc, shall accept any online order and effect any online sale," he suggested. Mehta suggested that on Christmas eve and New Year eve, bursting of crackers should be allowed from 11.55 pm till 12.30 am only. He said on Gurpurab, bursting of crackers should be allowed from 4 am to 5 am in the morning and from 9 pm to 10 pm in the night. He said on marriages and other occasions, sale and use of green crackers may be permitted. The hearing in the matter is underway. The top court is hearing issues related to manufacturing and sale of 'green' crackers' in Delhi-NCR. The top court on September 26 permitted certified manufacturers to produce 'green' crackers with a condition that they will not sell them in prohibited Delhi-NCR without its approval. It asked the Centre to take a fresh look at the absolute ban on the manufacture of firecrackers in Delhi-NCR. A total of 16 districts, including from Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Haryana, fall under the NCR along with Delhi.
