The Supreme Court today said that public awareness and voluntary participation would be more effective in addressing the problem of firecracker-induced air pollution in Delhi-NCR than imposing restrictive orders that could be difficult to enforce on the ground.
A Bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana said the apex court would not hurt religious sentiments but stressed the need for a balanced and practical approach to minimise the harmful effects of firecrackers.
The Apex Court was hearing suo motu proceedings concerning air pollution in Delhi-NCR, including the use of firecrackers, crop residue burning and solid waste management.
The CJI Kant-led Bench cautioned against passing restrictive orders without ensuring that they could be effectively implemented, observing that such directions were often perceived as coercive action.
It further said that sufficient time was available to make an earnest appeal to people to celebrate Diwali while limiting the bursting of firecrackers to specified hours, as had been done previously.
It also suggested publishing educational material explaining the harmful consequences of firecracker use and encouraging people to minimise bursting and restrict it to particular hours to prevent air and noise pollution.
It further observed that authorities could consider regulating the availability of firecrackers in the market, allowing less harmful varieties while restricting the sale of those that cause greater pollution.
The matter has been posted for further hearing on October 15.
