On Monday, the Supreme Court questioned the Delhi government and police over the failure to enforce the firecracker ban during Diwali, as air pollution remains a severe issue in the national capital. The court demanded an explanation from the AAP government and Delhi police regarding the violation of the firecracker ban.
Highlighting the chaos caused by unchecked pollution from firecrackers, the court asked the government and police to clarify the preventive measures they plan to implement to avoid such lapses in the future. The Supreme Court also urged the state to consider a permanent firecracker ban in Delhi, beyond festival periods.
Additionally, the court sought responses from Punjab and Haryana regarding the increase in farm fires during Diwali, as reported by the Centre for Science and Environment. It ordered all responses to be filed within a week, with the next hearing set for November 14.
The questioning follows widespread non-compliance with the firecracker ban, which led to a thick layer of smog over Delhi the day after Diwali, with air quality plummeting to the “severe” category in several areas.
