TN police file 2,000 cases for violating SC directive on firecrackers

About 2,000 cases have been registered by police across Tamil Nadu against those who violated the Supreme Court directives in respect of firecrackers, police sources said here on Friday.

The total number of cases registered across the state is approximately 2,000 and it includes violations in respect of the two-hour time slab fixed by the apex court to burst firecrackers on Deepavali.

The cases also include those against firecracker shops or units that sold or stored products by breaching 'specific court directives' and also for violation of other norms, police sources here told PTI.

On aspects like the law invoked against shops and other violators, they declined to elaborate, saying cases have been filed under appropriate provisions of law.

Deepavali was celebrated on November 4 this year and the Supreme Court had allowed bursting of firecrackers for two hours, from 6 AM to 7 AM and from 7 PM to 8 PM.

On October 29, the Supreme Court had said that celebration cannot be at the cost of others' health and clarified that while there is no total ban on use of firecrackers, those fireworks which contain Barium salts are prohibited.

A bench of Justices M R Shah and A S Bopanna said that no authority can be permitted to violate the directions issued by it and allow banned firecrackers in the guise of celebration.