Profile: Get to know Haripriya Padmanabhan who led the cracker ban this Diwali

The lawyer behind the temporary ban on crackers in Delhi is a woman named Haripriya Padmanabhan. The independent lawyer who studied at the Bangalore National Law College, started her career early with Amarchand Mangaldas followed by stints in the high court and later in the Supreme Court where she practises currently. She has given Delhiites have a big reason to rejoice. The Supreme Court has finally banned the sale of firecrackers responsible for worsening the quality of air in Delhi. The apex court's decision came after a long battle that lawyer Haripriya Padmanabhan had been fighting since 2015. She is the lawyer representing the group whose petition compelled the government to ban sale of firecrackers.

https://www.facebook.com/haripriya.padmanabhan/posts/10155606942190281

SheThePeople.Tv spoke to her to know about the persistent efforts that culminated in this positive outcome.

Where did you study law and since when have you been practising the same?

I have done my schooling in Chennai and graduated from National Law School, Bangalore in 1988. I have been practising in Delhi for the last 19 years.

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For how long had you been trying to get the sale of firecrackers banned?

Our petition had been pending for the last two years since 2015 in Supreme Court. And we initially asked for a ban on firecrackers but that didn’t happen. Last year, after the situation in Delhi went really bad after Diwali, we again filed a petition saying that now we have empirical data and Delhi is really choking. Thereafter, Supreme Court gave us a full ban on sale of firecrackers in Delhi. Unfortunately, the manufacturers filed applications due to which this ban was lifted temporarily. Again were we back to the court requesting for a modification . They have modified it now.

And I am very sure there will be some illegal trade going on. But I feel since it will not be openly

What positive effects do you think this ban will have on Delhi?

People already have possession of fire crackers because of Dusshera. And I am very sure there will be some illegal trade going on. But I feel since it will not be openly and easily available and since court has banned legal sale, I am hoping that the PM 2.5 levels will be much less.

Simply put this ban does...

All temporary licenses to sell firecrackers stand canceled. People who had already purchased crackers will be able to burst them. Hopefully they won’t do that.

Read Also: Meet the woman behind the ban on firecrackers this Diwali, Haripriya Padmanabhan

Mother of two, Haripriya is married to Gopal Sankarnarayana and has two children Ameya Gopal and Anika Gopal.

Picture Credit: Youtube