Firecracker ban: Supreme Court asks Delhi police not to issue licences for sale, storage

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air pollution including in the Delhi-NCR region, the report said. "We have to see what level of work has been done over the years and whether any additional directions are required to be issued. We see that most of the aspects have been taken care of by various orders passed by this court from time to time," PTI quoted the bench observation.

"When there is a ban imposed by the government it means complete ban. Ban is for firecrackers. We don't understand the distinction between green or black…just ensure that no temporary licences are given by the Delhi police.

Giving licences of any kind will be in violation of our orders," the bench told Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati who was appearing for the Centre and Delhi police. Since the 2018 order of the apex court when conventional firecrackers were banned in the Delhi-NCR region, a lot of work has been done and only green firecrackers are allowed, additional Solicitor General Bhati was reported as saying. The additional Solicitor General said no permanent licences for sale of firecrackers in the national capital have been issued since 2016 and temporary licences which were issued are for green crackers.

These licences also get suspended when the government imposes a complete ban, she added. The bench asked the additional Solicitor General to revel the action plan of the Delhi police keeping in mind the complete ban imposed by the city government and the festival season is ahead. "Delhi police have finalised an action plan as per which police station-wise teams will be constituted to check sale, storage and bursting of firecrackers.