New Delhi, Oct 28: The Centre on Tuesday opposed a plea before the Supreme Court seeking a total ban on bursting firecrackers, saying regulations were already in place to check noise levels.
“The night time has been defined between 10 pm to 6 am, and restrictions have been imposed on use of horns, sound-emitting construction equipment and bursting of firecrackers,” said the Environment Ministry in an affidavit.
A PIL, by three toddlers aged 6-14 months, had sought complete ban on bursting firecrackers during Deepawali. It will be considered on Wednesday before a bench headed by Chief Justice of India H L Dattu.
“Through the last amendment, dated January 11, 2010, the issues have been addressed in line with the Supreme Court orders from time to time. Stress has been laid on making the night peaceful,” it said, citing the Noise Rules, 2000.
Further, noise standards for firecrackers have been notified under the Environment Protection Rules, 1986, “so as to prohibit manufacture, sale or use of firecrackers generating noise level” exceeding the stipulated norms, said the government.
It added that while a “designated authority” — a senior cop or administrative officer — can also issue appropriate directives for crackdown on noise, various others laws also regulate use, manufacture and storage of firecrackers.
The ministry said it has also notified the source-specific standards for emission or discharge of pollutants from several categories of industries and processes involved therein, besides prescribing the National Ambient Air Quality Standards.
“The causes and mitigation of air pollution are multi-sectoral in nature and air pollution may be prevented, abated and controlled by a multi-disciplinary approach through a joint effort of various ministries, departments, municipal authorities and more so by the participation of public in general,” the government added.
In a separate response, the Central Pollution Control Board submitted that a high-level meeting held on February 20 discussed non-compliance of noise standards by firecrackers.
It has recommended for the Department of Explosives to reduce the quantity of explosives supplied to manufacturers, which would help in making low-noise crackers.
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