Vehicles, a bigger source of pollution: SC

NEW DELHI: People seemed to be running after firecracker industry even though automobiles are a bigger source of pollution, said the Supreme Court on March 12, 2019.

A bench of Justice S A Bobde and S A Nazeer asked the Centre whether there is a comparative study to find out the pollution caused by firecrackers and vehicles. Due to strict actions against the firecracker industry many people had lost their jobs and said that it does not wish to generate unemployment.

The manufacturers post the clear withdrawal of SC’s approach on the ban on firecrackers, said that more than two lakh workers have become unemployed.

The Centre told the court that the chemical formulation of green crackers has now been finalised and its bulk manufacturing could start from May 2019.

Gopal Shankaranarayanan, advocate, appearing for the petitioners, told the bench that the court had passed the order on banning polluting firecrackers on the suggestion of the Centre and there was no ban on green firecrackers. People who have lost their jobs would get back their jobs after manufacturing of green crackers starts. 

The Supreme Court on October 23, 2018, had banned manufacturing of polluting firecrackers and stated that only green crackers with reduced emissions will be allowed to be sold in the country to control pollution. The emission level can be reduced in firecrackers by changing the chemical structure.