SC refuses to lift ban on bursting firecrackers

The Supreme Court on Friday refused to lift the ban on bursting of firecrackers in Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh.

A bench of Justice A. K. Sikri and Justice Ashok Bhushan said, it would hear the case on January 5 against the ban ordered by the High Court.

Earlier this month, the apex court decided to hear a plea seeking ban on the use and manufacture of firecrackers across the country.

The apex Court issued a notice to the Centre and asked it to file its detailed response within four weeks.

Earlier on October 9, the apex court imposed a blanket ban on sale of firecrackers in the Delhi-NCR in the run-up of Diwali to check the alarming pollution level.

A three-judge bench of the apex court had restored its November 2016 order, banning sale of crackers in NCR and suspended its September 2017 order - which allowed limited sale but banned imports from other states.