The Supreme Court on Friday issued notice on a plea seeking a country-wide ban on the manufacture, sale and bursting of firecrackers, including burning of stubble by agriculturists.

A bench of Justice A.K. Sikri and Justice Ashok Bhushan gave the Centre four weeks time to respond to the plea by a child, Arjun Gopal, represented by lawyer Gopal Shankarnarayan.

The court has been moved by other petitioners as well. They are seeking a ban on the manufacture, sale and bursting of firecrackers, as it was contributing to an already alarming state of air pollution.