Cracker ban was hardly implemented: Supreme Court

The Supreme Court said that the matter would next be heard on November 14.

The Supreme Court rapped the Delhi government over the firecracker ban, saying it was "hardly implemented" leading to deteriorating air quality in the national capital.

The top court has directed the AAP government and Delhi Police Commissioner to file affidavits stating steps taken to implement the ban this year as well as proposed steps to ensure compliance with the ban next year within one week.

The Supreme Court said that pollution level in Delhi this year was at an all-time high, much higher than the previous two years. The top court has directed the Delhi Police Commissioner to file an affidavit indicating the steps taken by the police to enforce the complete ban on the use of firecrackers in Delhi.

While citing the same report, the Supreme Court noted that the cases of stubble burning were also on the rise around Diwali. As a result, the top court directed the Punjab and Haryana governments to file affidavits indicating the details of the number of instances of stubble burning during the last ten days of October.

The Delhi government has also been asked to state whether there were instances of fire in farms within the limits of Delhi during the same period.

A bench comprising Justice Abhay Oka and Justice Augustine George Masih said they would also consider other pollution-causing agents, including transport pollution, pollution caused by the entry of heavy trucks and industrial pollution.

The Supreme Court said that the matter would next be heard on November 14.