New Delhi, May 6 -- The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed the governments of Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Haryana to follow Delhi's footsteps and ensure a complete ban on firecrackers in areas falling under the NCR region.

A bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan warned the states that any failure to impose a ban on firecrackers would attract contempt.

It asked the governments to issue a direction under the Environment Protection Act (EPA) imposing a complete ban on manufacture, sale and storage, including online delivery, on all types of firecrackers in the areas in the NCR region.

It further said that not only the orders of the top court but directions issued under Section 5 of the EPA (as per which Central government may, in...