In the aftermath of the Supreme Court judgment on October 23 which lifted the ban on bursting of firecrackers but with certain restrictions imposed, a Delhi man was booked for allegedly bursting crackers in public. The incident happened in east Delhi on November 1 when Damandeep, 30, was accused of bursting old firecrackers by his neighbour. He allegedly didn’t adhere to his neighbour’s request and even challenged him. Police were later informed after which Damandeep was booked under Section 188 of the Indian Penal Code. This is the first such case where an accused was booked for bursting crackers after the Supreme Court imposed the restrictions last month, reports PTI. According to the report, Damandeep lives in Mayur Vihar phase III but hails from Bihar. He was bursting ‘Bijli bombs’ which he had bought last year.
On October 23, the Supreme Court lifted the blanket ban on the sale of firecrackers across the country. The apex court ruled that firecrackers will be allowed to be sold but under stringent conditions. In Delhi-NCR, the court said that only ‘green firecrackers’ be allowed to be burst. Green firecrackers are those which fulfill emission norms and keep potassium, barium and sulphur levels within prescribed limits.
Police personnel in Delhi’s Paharganj area paste posters of guidelines given by the Supreme Court to sell and use firecrackers during #Diwali and upcoming festivals in the city. The posters have been issued by Delhi Police. pic.twitter.com/zHlX88OpuK
— ANI (@ANI) November 3, 2018
However, police and officials of the forensic science laboratory are yet to decide whether crackers burst by the accused were ‘green’ or not. “The accused, Damandeep, was bursting crackers outside his house when his neighbours made a call to Ghazipur police station. We sent an officer who seized the firecrackers. The accused was violating SC orders and bursting a year old crackers. The residue will be sent to FSL for examination,” said DCP (East) Pankaj Singh told the Indian Express.
Meanwhile, scientists at CSIR-NEERI have recently developed a set of ‘green’ crackers that are not only less polluting but are comparatively cheaper. Two laboratories under the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) – National Environmental Research Institute (NEERI), Nagpur and Central Electrochemical Research Institute, Karaikudi have created firecrackers that will release less harmful chemicals and 30-40 % less harmful particulate matter. But these firecrackers aren’t out for sale and it will take at least months for them to hit the market.
