Chandigarh: The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Friday issued notice to the home secretaries of Punjab, Haryana and the Chandigarh administration, giving them a day’s time to respond.

The  HC took suo motu notice and the case came up for hearing, the Division Bench of Justices Ajay Kumar Mittal and Amit Rawal asked both the states, as well as the UT administration, to supply the information on issuance of licences for “explosives”, whether temporary or permanent.

 Senior advocate Anupam Gupta was also appointed as amicus curiae or the “friend of the court” to assist the Bench in the matter. The order came a day after Justice Rawal took suo motu cognisance of pollution caused by fireworks during the Diwali season, while expressing serious concern over the increasing level of pollution in the region and its effects.

Justice Rawal observed that the air quality deteriorated abysmally and alarmingly and the city was choked thereafter. Even after 10 pm, a person was unable to move out of the house, he pointed out.

A few days after the Supreme Court ordered banning the sale of firecrackers in Delhi and NCR this Diwali, the Punjab and Haryana High Court on Friday ordered Punjab, Haryana and UT Chandigarh to fix timing for bursting of crackers from 6.30 pm to 9.30 pm.

The court said PCRs, NGOs and volunteers would keep an eye on people violating the order.  The court has also directed all Deputy Commissioners and Senior Superintendent of Police to ensure the implementation of the order.

The court directed them to give 20 per cent less licences for firecrackers shops as compared to last year. 

On giving licences, the court said the permission would only be given by the DC and he would not confer his powers to other officers.

The court said the DC would designate the area for selling crackers and safeguards would be ensured by the licencee. No permanent licence would be issued, the court added.