With Diwali round the corner, the Delhi High Court today directed the AAP government to ensure that temporary licences for sale of fireworks and crackers are granted by "strictly adhering" to the Explosives Act and rules under it.
A bench of Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice Jayant Nath issued the direction to Delhi Police on an NGO's plea seeking to restrain it from granting temporary licence for sale of fireworks and crackers from sheds on or close to public roads.
"Respondents are directed that Explosives Act and rules framed thereunder are strictly adhered to when considering applications for temporary licence for sale of fireworks and crackers," the court said and disposed of the petition.
Advocate Abhijat, appearing for the NGO Harit Vikas, told the court that even though there were around 150 shops having permanent licence to sell fireworks and crackers, the police was granting temporary licences to certain temporary sheds.
"This is being done illegally, without adhering to the mandatory terms and conditions and without considering the issues of traffic congestion, public security and public safety etc. In the national capital," the NGO has said in its plea.
Abhijat submitted that under the existing laws, it was mandatory that no temporary licence for sale of fireworks and crackers from temporary sheds be granted unless and until they are located at least 50 metres away from a public road.
The NGO has contended, "Temporary fireworks and crackers licenses are being granted to the temporarily erected sheds, against the rules and laws in force, in such places which are close to busy markets and main public roads which have direct bearing on the circulation of traffic...And last but not the least at places which affect smooth movement of pedestrians.
"The grant of temporary fireworks and crackers licenses to the temporary sheds at places with high density of population is also not advisable from public security and safety point of view as the same endangers life of human beings," it has said.
