Incidents of bursting of firecrackers on Diwali in Delhi dropped by 30% this year as compared to last year and the city recorded its best air quality for the day after the festival in five years, Environment Minister Gopal Rai said on October 25, 2022. The air quality index (AQI) stood at 323 on Tuesday (the day after Diwali) as compared to 462 last year, he said.
Source- Times of India
The Delhi government has passed an order banning the storage, sale and use of all types of firecrackers in the national capital till January 1, 2023. The Supreme Court had on Thursday refused to urgently hear a petition against the state government’s strict order.
Delhi environment minister Gopal Rai on Wednesday said bursting of crackers on Diwali in Delhi can lead to a jail term of up to six months and a fine of ₹200. Along with this, the production, storage and sale of firecrackers in the capital will attract a fine of up to ₹5,000 and imprisonment for three years under Section 9B of the Explosives Act.
He said the anti-smog guns will be deployed at 40 spots across the capital where air pollution is high. The minister said incidents of bursting of firecrackers came down by 30 per cent on Diwali this year. “The AQI of 323 is still worrying and tells us that air pollution will increase in the coming days,” he said.
In some states, only green firecrackers have been allowed to burn, while in many states, the time has been fixed for the burning of firecrackers. Along with this, different guidelines have been issued regarding firecrackers in many other states, including Punjab and Haryana.
