Centre not in favour of blanket ban on sale of crackers

The Centre on Tuesday said that it is not in favour of the blanket ban on the sale of crackers during the festivals of Dussehra and Diwali, adding there are guidelines that already exist on the issue.

In its reply to the Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by three toddlers against the sale of firecrackers during festivals, the Centre told the Supreme Court there is a 2001 apex court judgement, which allows the people to burst crackers between 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.

The petition had said that the widespread use of firecrackers in the national capital, which is declared as the most polluted city in the world by the World Health Organisation, during festivals exposes infants to diseases such as asthma and worsens their lung conditions.

Referring to the 'poisonous and cancerous' smoke and particulate matter released by bursting crackers, petitioner's counsel and former union minister Kapil Sibal had earlier sought a direction for the authorities to come up with steps to deal with the issue.