The Delhi High Court ruled on Monday that it cannot allow the sale of firecrackers within the city limits of Delhi, even to individuals who intend to use them outside the national capital where there is no restriction on their usage. “By bringing it from outside, you can’t sell it in Delhi, and you can’t use it in Delhi,” Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva explained.
During the hearing of a case brought by a group of traders who possess permanent licenses for the storage and sale of firecrackers in Delhi NCR, the court made the remarks in opposition to the complete ban on the storage and sale of any sort of firecracker in Delhi. The petition was withdrawn by the petitioners’ attorney when the court declined to intervene with the authorities’ decision.
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According to Justice Sachdeva, the petitioners would have to move to the National Green Tribunal (NGT) or the Supreme Court for clarification of the directives against the usage and sale of firecrackers. The court stated that it is up to the government to decide whether or not dealers located in Delhi should be allowed to transport firecrackers.
“There is no question of their violating the Supreme Judge’s or NGT’s ruling in terms of selling somewhere where it is entirely prohibited,” the court stated. The dealers are currently in illegal possession of the firecrackers, according to the court, because they cannot possess them without a license. The Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) warned the court that any direction to send the firecrackers outside the national capital might be flouted directly or indirectly.
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It further stated that if such an order is issued, comprehensive information concerning the transportation of firecrackers must be provided. However, after some debates, the dealers’ lawyer stated that even transporting firecrackers outside Delhi might not be sufficient. Therefore, she requested and received permission to withdraw her plea, which the court granted.
