Chennai: Tamilnadu government today filed a plea in a Supreme Court to extend the two-hour time duration set by the Court to burst crackers in the country. It petitioned to change the 8 pm to 10 pm timing to 4 am to 6 pm on the upcoming Deepavali day.
Considering widespread air pollution concerns, the Supreme Court bench comprising Justices A K Sikri and Ashok Bhushan recently fixed a time duration for bursting crackers: between 8 pm and 10 pm on Deepavali, and between 11.45 pm and 12.30 am on Christmas Eve and New Year.
It also directed the Centre to encourage community cracker bursting during Diwali and other festivals in Delhi-NCR. The bench also said that the station house officers of police stations concerned will be held liable if banned crackers are sold in their respective areas.
Meanwhile, the firecrackers manufacturers had appealed for a strict regulation instead of an absolute ban on the use of firecrackers. Defending their case, they also argued that the crackers are not the reason for increase in air pollution and there are other factors, like wind and temperature, which contribute to it.
They had further said the firecracker manufacturers cannot be deprived of their right to do business based on statements not supported by facts. The Centre, too, has opposed a complete ban on the sale of crackers during festivities across the country.