The Supreme Court on Friday refused to lift ban of selling and transportation of firecrackers in Delhi and NCR.

The ban to continue till next the date of hearing.A total of 100 firecracker companies moved the Supreme Court on January 30 seeking modification of its earlier order which had put a ban on selling of firecrackers in Delhi-NCR.

The Firecracker Association, earlier in December last year moved the apex court, challenging its earlier order of banning firecrackers in Delhi-NCR.

On November 25 last year, the apex court banned the sale of fire crackers in Delhi and NCR region until further notice in wake of the alarming air pollution in the region.

The top court had asked the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) to file a reply within three months regarding the harmful effects of fire crackers.

The apex court is also mulling on the decision of imposing a national ban on manufacture of fireworks.