Huge relief to Sivakasi fireworks makers as SC modifies ban order: 

Huge relief to Sivakasi fireworks makers as SC modifies ban order: 

Context

• The Supreme Court on Tuesday modified its ban on the sale of firecrackers in the National Capital Region (NCR) as the step was too radical
• The apex court lifted its suspension of valid permanent licenses in the NCR, which included the entire
  • National Capital Territory of Delhi
  • Haryana
  • Uttar Pradesh
  • Rajasthan
  • On November 11, 2016, the Supreme Court had ordered the suspension of all licenses permitting the sale of fireworks within the NCR till further orders.
  • It had banned the grant or renewal of firecracker licenses on a slew of petitions seeking a ban on the use of fireworks since the air quality had worsened manifold after Deepavali in 2016.
  • The modification is a big relief to Sivakasi fireworks manufacturers, who had challenged the 2016 ban.
  • They contended the ban had left 821 fireworks industries and five lakh employees in dire straits.
  • The Bench passed directions for regulating temporary licenses.