Thu Dec 12 17:46:48 UTC 2024: ## Supreme Court Orders NCR States to Decide on Year-Round Firecracker Ban
**New Delhi:** The Supreme Court has directed the Delhi and surrounding NCR states (Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan) to decide on a complete year-round ban on firecrackers. The court’s order, issued Thursday, aims to combat both air and noise pollution. The states must formally submit their decisions to the court. The ban, if implemented, would encompass the manufacture, storage, sale, and distribution of firecrackers.
The ruling came during a hearing on air pollution in the national capital. In addition to the firecracker ban, the court reiterated its previous order maintaining the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) to address air quality until further notice. The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) was instructed to continue implementing modified measures to improve Delhi’s air quality. The court also suggested government departments transition to electric vehicles to further reduce pollution.
First Piper 