Courts, lawyers can't enforce SC orders on firecrackers ban, social awareness needed, say experts
firecrackers ban and stubble burning to curb air pollution as it can be tackled by creating a mass awareness, legal experts said. The Supreme Court's recent order banning the manufacture and sale of firecrackers containing barium was violated across the country on Diwali leading to worsening air quality index.
Senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, who represents the main petitioner Arjun Gopal and others seeking a ban on the sale and manufacture of firecrackers, meanwhile, has decided to move a contempt petition in the top court against the law enforcement agencies for the flagrant violation of the court's recent order.
Speaking on the violation of judicial orders, senior advocate Rakesh Dwivedi was of the view no contempt will work in these kinds of cases where there are many contributors to the rise in air pollution.
He said this is a social issue which can be effectively tackled creating a mass social awareness round the year.
«These are social issues.
The contempt action seems to be very difficult. How many people and whom they (Supreme Court) will catch. Basically this is the issue of social awareness.
People should be made more aware, I don't find much of a role for courts and lawyers,» he said.
Dwivedi further said there are so many culprits — manufacturers, sellers, retailers, buyers and those who are bursting firecrackers — and advocated for a round-the-year awareness campaign.
Advocate and environmentalist Gaurav Kumar Bansal, who is actively pursuing such cases at various judicial forums, also agreed with Dwivedi and said that a social awareness campaign is needed to get desired results and the Supreme Court orders themselves cannot curb the rising menace.
