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Synopsis

"There cannot be any dispute that ban on firecrackers was hardly implemented..", Justice Abhay S Oka said today while hearing a bunch of applications filed in the MC Mehta case.

Accordingly, court has called for an affidavit from Delhi Police Commissioner on steps taken to ensure the ban on firecrackers during Diwali celebration was 

In addition, the AAP led Delhi government has been directed to file a response within a week on the steps taken by it to tackle pollution in the NCR region.

Recently, supreme court had while taking note of rampant stubble burning, upheld the right to a pollution-free environment while observing that 'stubble burning is not merely a violation of law but an infringement of the fundamental rights guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution.'

In November last year, Supreme Court had pulled up the governments of Punjab, Rajasthan, Haryana, and UP, asking them to immediately stop stubble burning.

In reference to the worsening of the condition in Delhi NCR, the Supreme Court had remarked that a huge number of taxis were found on Delhi roads, with only one passenger onboard.

Supreme Court had also refused to interfere with the blanket ban imposed by it on production and sale of firecrackers including green crackers in the Delhi NCR region. Court had further told the Delhi Police that filing cases against people who burn firecrackers may not help in curbing sale of firecrackers.

Earlier, the apex Court had reiterated the directions issued by the Supreme Court, including banning the use of Barium Salts in the firecrackers and manufacturing and selling joined firecrackers and other directions issued by the Court.

In addition to this, the bench had said, "We are not against any community we want full implementation of orders. We are not against the festivals but we cannot play with the right to life of others."

Case Title: MC Mehta vs. Union of India