The Supreme Court on Thursday sought response from the central and Delhi governments on a plea filed by three lawyers seeking ban on the sale and bursting of firecrackers during the festival of Dussehra and Diwali because it further aggravates the already dangerous level of air pollution.
Besides the governments, notice was also issued to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Delhi Pollution Control Board (DPCB) and Delhi Police on a petition by three toddlers.
Three toddlers - six-month-old Arjun Gopal and Aarav Bhandari and 14-month-old Zoya Rao Bhasin - have told the apex court via their fathers (Supreme Court advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, advocate Amit Bhandari, who works with senior counsel Abhishek Manu Singhvi, and Trilegal partner Saurabh Bhasin) that their lungs are not yet fully developed and the large-scale bursting of firecrackers during the festival season of Dussehra and Diwali would further aggravate the already polluted air and will be seriously detrimental to their health.
The three toddlers have moved the apex court through their lawyer fathers.
Addressing a bench of Chief Justice HL Dattu, Justice Arun Mishra and Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel, senior counsel Kapil Sibal, appearing for one of the three petitioners, said that the issues involved required immediate and long term solutions.
Telling the court that all children should not look like ninjas - a word used by Chief Justice Dattu for describing his grandson who wears a mask to protect himself from air pollution - Sibal said that “40 percent of the children suffer from some kind of respiratory problem”.
As court gave the governments, the pollution control agencies and Delhi Police one week’s time to respond to the notice, Sibal said: “Let Delhi government come forward with a scheme to address the situation for a short term relief.”
As senior counsel KK Venugopal told the court that during festival season of Dussehra and Diwali, smoke covers the entire city, Sibal said: “We are all very concerned for the children of this country and their future.”
Appearing for another toddler petitioner, senior counsel Abhishek Manu Singhvi told the court that Delhi government has collected Rs 387 crore for dealing with ever-increasing pollution but 87 percent of this amount remains unspent.
While issuing the notice, the court made it clear that matter would require impleading the association of firecrackers manufacturers as respondent.
Sibal told the court from internet, they could find only one Tamil Nadu-based association of manufacturers.
Comments
Not a supporter of this pageantry resulting in ostentatious display of wealth and additional burden on the already-suffering environment. However, have a problem with preaching what one is not practicing.
With the amount of factory workers (and child laborers) the production of firecrackers harms for a product that is literally being combusted to produce nothing but noise and smoke which tortures animals, babies, aged and sick people at the very least...is not just an annoyance but is a very real risk to the lives of people around it celebrating Diwali wearing synthetic clothing... I am shocked all over again each year how this inanity has continued for this long.
And let's not be quick to judge that crackers serve no 'purpose'. Might face flak for this thought, but crackers on Diwali are now symbol and mix of tradition, culture, a bit of mythology topped with loads of nostalgia.Imagine a silent, soundless Diwali? *cringe* All that banter about being with family and having a good time and yada yada just seem a little less joyous. What all we have to further let go of in coming days cz need of the hour calls for so? :(
Could you submit again please?
Thanks
As far as cars and other vehicles are concerned, they do require monitoring and there are many requirements (long term solutions) to ensure that there is reduction in number of cars, but that does not absolve the damn crackers causing an equally high amount of pollution.
Just because it is enjoyable does not make it a necessity and it isnt about a day or two since celebrations last for well over a month through which the air becomes unbearable. How callous we are regarding protecting the damn environment.
What I also find ridiculous is how can one equate pollution from firecrackers (even if from all over the country) to the emissions from the millions of cars plying on roads all year long? And if I am to agree to your point of 'just because it is enjoyable does not make it a necessity', the same applies to the private vehicles taken by the pseudo-green citizens. Just because they are comfortable, does not make them a necessity.
As far as your observation regarding the celebrations running for over a month is concerned, the same is justified. However, aren't there already restrictions on the same? As far as my knowledge goes, SC has banned bursting of crackers after 10 pm on the Diwali day itself. But, of course, that is hardly implemented. So the problem lies not in the lack of regulation but in the ubiquitous lack of execution.
Your argument is primarily then based on the fact- well what about those other things that affect the environment? Should they not be stopped too? Yes they should! We better wake up to that fact now. Unfortunately like the psuedo green citizens we also have citizens who would critique any move and say lets get done with that before this measure.
Usage of cars is more essential and cannot done away with immediately, it is redundant to argue that the same logic applies to fire crackers. No one is saying that they should'nt monitor and impose stricter emission standards for all cars in any case. Further, using carpooling, improving your public transport and ensuring very heavy costs for using cars including charges if one family has more than a single car may even reduce usage. The problem may still remain with trucks plying heavy goods and causing a lot more emissions than cars do.
However, if you can possibly try and reduce a completely unwarranted and unnecessary source of emissions and pollution, you should. And how does not bursting less after 10 pm help? People will continue to violate such frivolous restrictions.
Your best argument is that blanket bans will be difficult to impose. No one can deny that- but at least its a start and over the years it ll become more rigorous. Else anyways the city goes to the dump..
And of course there are citizens who critique any such move, since the move is unreasonable. Not many eyebrows from the general population were raised when commercial vehicles were taxed on entry into the city limits of Delhi, since it was high time that was done.
Further, aren't you contradicting yourself when you say the logic of cars can't apply to firecrackers when it comes to doing away with them immediately but go on to say blanket bans can't be imposed. You mean to say firecrackers can be done away with immediately but without a blanket ban. Eh?
All this boils down to the same thing that a ban on firecrackers right away is neither a feasible nor a desirable solution right now. What can be done is increasing awareness so that the majority willingly gives up bursting of firecrackers. And reinforce the regulations already in place. (Why won't ban on bursting after 10pm help? :O) Maybe impose higher taxes on the crackers. Maybe incentivise the housing societies who celebrate cracker-free Diwali. Another ban when India is already being tagged as Ban-istan, I don't know how well-received the move will be.
1. I find it difficult to explain (convince) my child to abstain from crackers for environment/safety reason when EVERYBODY else is bursting crackers. However, it will be much easy for me to convince him if the govt restricts it whereby MOST people will not engage in fireworks.
2. Although being a 'well meaning', and 'generally' environmentally friendly person, I cannot guarantee to be 100% environment compliant. Should that disqualify me from taking one step forward, and/or filing a petition ?
3. You are allowed to follow your traditions and rituals (including those that are not part of original tradition) so long as you do not encroach on the rights of others. Why is that in India we take our rights for granted, while running over freely others rights ? Are these signs of a civilized society?
And of polluting industries out of Delhi?
Or the ban on plastics in gutkha?
The Supreme Court did all that, my child. While you sat on daddy's well polished knee and tipppy-tappied on his keyboard taking your first unsteady steps towards being an armchair critic.
I would much rather have a dad who takes a step for me (even if its fruitless in the end) than imagine that it is someone else's problem.
You, infant, are not in the time zone of this story.
And know the truth is right - just because you don't live your entire life in an environmentally conscious manner doesn't disqualify you from trying to do something about one aspect of it.
And finally, some "traditions" are bad. We got rid of Sati, didn't we?
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/SC-refuses-to-restrict-bursting-of-crackers-in-diwali/articleshow/49565004.cms
Providing an update. Looks like SC isn't really interested in such issues.
(ps:Looks like LI editor is also not interested in providing updates)