The Supreme Court, led by Chief Justice B. R. Gavai, on Friday questioned the restriction of firecracker bans solely to Delhi-NCR, observing that citizens throughout India also deserve pollution-free air. In a hearing involving pleas by firecracker manufacturers, the bench asked why the ban should apply only to a region seen as “elite,” pointing out that cities like Amritsar faced even worse air pollution last winter.

The bench emphasized any policy to tackle air pollution must be pan-India. It also raised concerns about the livelihoods of workers dependent on the firecracker trade, whose licenses are being revoked due to the ongoing ban. The Supreme Court asked the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to submit a report, including scientific inputs (such as from NEERI), and has scheduled the case for further arguments in two weeks.