After Delhi-NCR, the Supreme Court has sought the Centre's view on extending the ban on sale and bursting of crackers across the country.
Issuing notice on a slew of applications filed by advocate Gopal Shankaranaraynan, a Bench of Justices AK Sikri and Ashok Bhushan asked the Centre to respond to a set of suggestions made by the petitioner who has further demanded ban on registration of all new diesel vehicles in NCR and other cities ranked high in pollution, ban on manufacture of diesel vehicles till introduction of BS-VI fuel, incentives for promoting hybrid and electric cars.
With regard to stubble burning, the Court sought the opinion of the Centre on a suggestion by the petitioner to form a special committee comprising Punjab, Haryana, Ministry of Rural Development and Indian Meteorological Department.
The Committee will deal specifically with the issue of crop burning in the neighbouring States of Delhi and maintain oversight with the help of special police force to take immediate action where and when instances of crop burning are observed.
Shankaranaraynan also proposed that the Committee could examine the possibility of creating a safe window for crop burning as it happens in other parts of the globe. He stated that Met Department can be consulted on a favourable period when wind speed is maximum which can minimise chances of smog enveloping Delhi and NCR due to low wind speed.
As regards bursting of crackers, the application requested the Court to ban use, manufacture, licensing or distribution of firecrackers, sparkles of any kind throughout the country in order to contain rising pollution levels. In the alternate, it sought ban on possession of firecrackers at least in NCR along with strict enforcement of Court order by police. The apex court had on October 9 banned sale of firecrackers in the Delhi-NCR while banning its sale till November 1.