West Bengal : Petition to lift ban on firecrackers dismissed, ‘festivals are necessary but life is more important’, said SC
New Delhi : Due to the Corona epidemic, the Calcutta High Court ordered on 5 November that firecrackers will be banned in West Bengal on this Diwali, the court said in this order that burning and selling firecrackers in West Bengal is prohibited this year. The petition filed in the Supreme Court against this petition of the High Court was heard on Wednesday. The Supreme Court dismissed a petition against the ban on firecrackers during the ongoing festive season in West Bengal.
Justice DY Chandrachud said “We understand that these festivals are important, but when life is in danger, any effort should be made to save human life”. Justice DY Chandrachud also said, “We are very conscious of the importance of festivals but we are living in the midst of an epidemic and everyone should support the decision which improves the situation.”
This order of the court means that this time in West Bengal, the burning of firecrackers has been banned and even the sale of firecrackers. After this order of the supreme court, this time there will be no firecrackers burst on Kali Puja and Diwali this time in West Bengal.
Hearing the two PILs, a division bench of Justices Sanjib Banerjee and Arijit Banerjee said that burning of firecrackers could be harmful to the environment and infected patients keeping in mind the outbreak of Coronavirus. In such a situation, the court directed that the ban on firecrackers will also be applicable during Jagadhatri Puja, Chhath and Kartik Puja. That is, on any day, the burning of firecrackers will result in legal action if the court order is violated.
The court said in its order that the guidelines for Durga Puja such as not entering pandals, will also be applicable during Kali Puja. While issuing the guidelines for pandals to be made for Kali Puja, the court ordered that Kali Puja pandals will be covered in an area of up to 300 square meters and only 45 persons will be allowed to enter it.
