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Ahead of Diwali, the Supreme Court on Tuesday permitted sale and manufacture of only "green" crackers across the country. The apex court said firecrackers with decibel sound limits will be only be allowed to be sold in the market by licensed traders, and restrained e-commerce websites like Flipkart and Amazon for making any sale of firecrackers. The top court warned e-commerce websites of "contempt of court| if they don't adhere to court's direction. A bench comprising Justices Ashok Bhushan and A K Sikri fixed the 8 pm to 10 pm time period for bursting of firecrackers on Diwali and other festivals. The top court's order came on a plea seeking a ban on manufacture and sale of firecrackers across the country to curb air pollution.
1. SC permits sale and manufacture of "green" crackers which have low emission across the country.
2. SC fixes 8 pm to 10 pm time period for bursting of firecrackers on Diwali and other festivals. For Christmas and New Year, cracker bursting has been allowed for 11.45 PM - 12.45 AM
3. SC restrains e-commerce websites like Flipkart and Amazon from selling firecrackers which are beyond the permissible limit.
4. SC says e-commerce websites will be hauled up for contempt of court if they don't adhere to court's direction.
5. Firecrackers with permissible decibel sound limits will only be allowed to be sold in the market: SC.
6. SC asks Centre to encourage community cracker bursting during Diwali and other festivals in Delhi-NCR.
7. SC directs all states to explore feasibility of community cracker bursting during festivals.
8. Firecrackers manufacturers earlier told the court that use of firecrackers should not be completely banned and it should instead be strictly regulated. They had contended that the crackers are not the reason for increase in air pollution and there are other factors, like wind and temperature, which contribute to it.
9. Later, the court refused to relax its order while dismissing a plea by traders who had sought permission to sell crackers for at least a day or two before Diwali on October 19, 2017.
10. On October 9 last year, the top court temporarily banned the sale of firecrackers ahead of Diwali. The apex court said its ban order during Diwali that year was an experiment to examine its effect on the pollution levels in the region.
