Today, the Supreme Court has ordered for the modification of the Telangana High Court order passed on November 12, directing the state to immediate ban on the use and sale of fire crackers.
Following which, a petition is filed by the Telangana Fire Workers Dealers Association (TFWDA) in the Supreme Court seeking a stay on the High Court’s order. Advocate Somanadri Goud K appearing for TFWDA has stated that the said high court order have seriously affected their business and also violated their right to livelihood.
Considering the urgency of the plea, a reply has been sought from the respondents by November 16. The Bench stated in its order,
“Telangana High Court order stands modified and to be in line with NGT’s order of November 9 which applies to all states including that of Telangana. All concerned with the State to comply with the directions in letter in spirit. Respondents are not served, but due to the peculiar situation and urgency involved, the November 11 order of the High Court stands modified.”
On November 9, the Principal Bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has ordered a total ban on all kinds of firecrackers in the Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR) from midnight of November 9 -10 to the midnight of November 30-December 1. And also directed that such ban will also apply to all cities/towns in the entire country where the “average of ambient air quality during November fall under ‘poor’ and above category.”
The NGT further directed that states, union territories, Pollution Control Boards (PCB) and Pollution Control Committees (PCC) to initiate special drives to contain air pollution from all sources in view of the potential aggravation of COVID-19.
Therefore, the Vacation Bench of Justices AM Khanwilkar and Sanjiv Khanna have now asked the State of Telangana to comply with the directions issued by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) on November 9.
