New Delhi (ILNS): The Calcutta High Court has issued a new order regarding firecrackers due to the Corona epidemic. Yesterday, the court banned fireworks in West Bengal for this Diwali. The court said in its order that selling and bursting of firecrackers in West Bengal will be prohibited this year.
The Court has held in its order:
It is evident that there has been an endeavor on the part of the State to protect the air quality so that the respiratory problems that arise as a result of the infection are not aggravated because of the noxious fumes brought about by the use of firecrackers.
This order of the court means that this time in West Bengal there will be no firecrackers on Kali Puja.
Hearing two public interest litigations, a division bench of Justices Sanjib Banerjee and Arijit Banerjee said that keeping firecrackers in view of the coronavirus outbreak could be harmful to the environment and infected patients. In such a situation, the court directed that the ban on firecrackers will also be applicable during Jagadhatri Puja, Chhath, and Karthik Puja. That means if the court order is violated legal actions can be taken against the violators.
On the issue raised by the fireworks association, the court said:
For the greater good, a small number of persons involved in the firecracker business may have to suffer losses. The overwhelming public interest cannot be compromised.
The court also mentioned in its order that the guidelines for Durga Puja such as not entering the pandals will also apply during Kali Puja. The pandals will be covered in an area of up to 300 sq m and only 45 persons will be allowed to enter it.
Before Kolkata, the Delhi government appealed not to burn firecrackers on Diwali amid the growing outbreak of Corona. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, while talking about the problem of corona and air pollution, appealed to two crore, people of Delhi, to celebrate Diwali but not firecrackers.
Yesterday, Kejriwal announced on his Twitter handle that in view of the persistently high pollution and smog levels that experts believe put more people at risk from the coronavirus, firecrackers will be banned in Delhi.
Due to the onset of winter, the pollution level of Delhi has suddenly increased. Since corona is related to respiratory disease, increasing pollution may increase the risk of the corona.
-India Legal Bureau