The Supreme Court on Friday intensified its focus on air quality in the National Capital Region (NCR), directing the Centre to present a “concrete proposal" for exclusively ensuring the availability of green firecrackers in Delhi-NCR markets. The apex court stated that applications seeking to lift the existing ban on the sale of crackers can only be considered once a workable framework is in place to guarantee that only less-polluting versions reach consumers.

Hearing pleas from fireworks traders challenging the blanket, year-round ban on the sale and use of firecrackers in the region, a bench led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) BR Gavai sought to strike a balance between environmental protection and the livelihoods of industry workers.

Context of the Ban and Court’s Rationale

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