The Supreme Court on Wednesday said there cannot be anything more important than preservation of life amid the pandemic, as it declined to interfere with the Calcutta High Court order, banning sale and use of firecrackers in West Bengal during Kali Puja, Diwali and other festivals.

A vacation bench of Justices D.Y. Chandrachud and Indira Banerjee said it is conscious about the importance of festivals, but amid the pandemic, everybody should come out to support a decision which improves the situation. They said the High Court is much aware of the local situation and it should be allowed to do what is necessary.