The Supreme Court on Monday urged a balance between religious sentiments and public health while considering restrictions on firecrackers in Delhi and neighbouring regions, with the Bench stressing awareness, safer practices and enforceable measures rather than rules that may be difficult to implement on the ground.
Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, heading a three-judge Bench, said the court would not seek to hurt religious sentiments but added that people should come forward voluntarily to adopt safer practices. “The whole exercise should involve a balancing approach,” the Chief Justice said during the hearing.
The court’s observations came as it examined the health and air-pollution concerns associated with firecrackers in the national capital region. Senior advocate Aparajita Singh, who is assisting the court as amicus curiae, highlighted the risks of air pollution for children, senior citizens and people with health vulnerabilities.
Ms. Singh suggested that the Commission for Air Quality Management, the statutory body responsible for air quality management in the region, should also focus on the medical concerns linked to air pollution. The suggestion places the public-health dimension of the firecracker debate alongside the question of how restrictions are designed and implemented across the region.
During the hearing, Justice Joymalya Bagchi questioned the religious basis for bursting firecrackers. The Bench also cautioned that restrictions could lose effectiveness if they were not practical to enforce on the ground, indicating that the court was considering both the health consequences of firecracker use and the administrative difficulty of ensuring compliance.
The Chief Justice said the objective should be to make people more aware of the consequences and help them distinguish between firecrackers considered harmful and those viewed as less harmful. He suggested encouraging traditional practices such as lighting lamps and using sparklers, while restricting the availability of more harmful varieties.
The court’s approach keeps the matter focused on a combination of public awareness, consumer choice and controls on the availability of certain products. The hearing also brings the role of regional air-quality administration into focus, particularly through the proposed attention to medical impacts and the protection of vulnerable groups.
The case will be heard next on October 15. Further directions from the Bench are expected to clarify the balance between restrictions, public-health protection, religious practice and enforceability in Delhi and neighbouring regions.
