New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday directed National Capital Region (NCR) states - Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan - to place on record their decisions for enforcing the round-the-year firecrackers ban.
The matter came up before a bench comprising Justices Abhay S Oka and Augustine George Masih.
The Delhi government counsel informed the bench it had imposed the ban on firecrackers till January. The counsel further added that the government is mulling to implement a round-the-year ban and the same would soon be notified.
The bench directed the NCR states to place on record their decisions for enforcing the round-the-year firecrackers ban. The bench stressed that the ban was required not only to curb air pollution but also noise pollution, and made it clear that the ban on firecrackers would include sale, manufacture, storage, and use of firecrackers.
The bench also said the direction to relax the stringent anti air pollution GRAP-4 curbs to stage 2, would continue till further orders.
The bench asked the Centre to consider identifying top experts in the field of environment and other related fields for appointment in the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM). The bench said the experts may be brought on board in the advisory capacity.
The top court said it wants top experts of different fields to be on the commission, and it is not keen on appointing any retired judge. The bench said adding the Centre and other parties may suggest some names by the next date of hearing.
The bench was hearing pleas seeking directions for the implementation of curbs to check air pollution in the Delhi-NCR region. It also directed the Delhi-NCR states to ensure payment of subsistence allowance to construction workers.
Senior advocate Shadan Farasat, representing Delhi government, said 90,000 workers were paid Rs 8,000 rupees each and an additional registration process had been initiated with 20,000-odd construction workers coming forward so far.
The bench directed the Delhi- NCR states to bring on record the exact number of construction workers, who were deprived of their income due to pollution curbs. The bench asked the states to file a compliance affidavit on January 3, 2025.
The bench said on December 19 it would consider fixing a timeline and schedule for hearing various issues: firecrackers ban, solid waste management rules, and open air garbage burning besides issues suggested by the CAQM.
