The Bombay High Court on Tuesday reiterated that firecracker shops will not be allowed in residential areas in Maharashtra, India Today reported. The bench said this while hearing two petitions filed by firecracker associations in Mumbai.
The Malad Firecraker Dealers’ Welfare Association and the Jewel Sales Agency in Dadar had approached the Bombay High Court, asking for temporary licences to be issued to sellers as authorities had not renewed their permanent ones. The Bombay High Court rejected both their petitions, DNA reported.
The court also reprimanded the petitioners for filing the plea just before Diwali. Upholding an earlier order passed by the court that barred firecracker shops from being set up in residential areas, the bench said, “Let Mumbai be a clean city.”
The Bombay High Court had earlier asked the civic bodies to ensure strict compliance of the rules related to the storage of small explosive devices. The bench had then said the shops should ideally be set up in open spaces to minimise the damage caused in case of any accidents.
Corrections and clarifications: This article has been updated to reflect the fact that the court has upheld an earlier order, and not passed a new one. It has also been edited to remove a reference to the judge who had headed the bench that passed the first order.
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