Three babies petition Supreme Court seeking ban on firecrackers during Diwali

3 babies aged between 6 and 14 months have moved the Supreme Court asking for a ban on loud firecrackers during Dusshera and Diwali, according to a report in Hindustan Times. The babies have asserted their right to be brought up in a pollution-free environment.

In a petition filed through their fathers, petitioners Arjun Goyal, Aarav Bhandari and Zoya Rao Bhasin of Delhi have sought the intervention of the Supreme Court as authorities have been unwilling to take adequate measures to curb pollution.

"They are foremost prone to lung disease, asthma, coughing, bronchitis, retarded nervous system development and cognitive impairment," the petitioners have pointed out, urging the court to restrain the authorities from issuing licenses for sale of firecrackers in Delhi.

The widespread use of firecrackers in Delhi – declared the most polluted city in the world by the World Health Organization – during the festive season exposes vulnerable infants to severe diseases such as asthma and worsens their lung conditions, the petition said.

Though the top court has declared the state as the protector of natural resources, the latter has failed to perform its job effectively, the petition alleged.

It further alleges that the authorities have not laid down any guidelines for manufacturers of firecrackers to conform to environmental norms. Indeed, it claims manufacturers and sellers pay no heed to environmental or health concerns while making and selling these crackers.

Scholarly evidence of the adverse effect of such crackers on children has been given to the court, reports HT. 

The petitioning parents have cited a study in Bangalore that shows how a widespread awareness campaign and enforcement mechanisms led to a 32% decrease in pollution levels there during Diwali time in 2013 compared to a year ago.

The petition says that studies reveal that cases of wheezing, respiratory diseases, exacerbation of bronchial asthma and bronchitis increase by 40% among Delhiites during Diwali, HT reports.

The Supreme Court in 2005 had issued directions to restrict the use of fireworks and fixed a 10 pm deadline for such festivities. It also changed the basis for evaluating fireworks from the noise level to its chemical composition.