Ban on manufacturing, sale and use of all types of firecrackers in Delhi comes into effect today

A complete ban on the production, sale and use of all types of firecrackers in the national capital came into effect today and will stay till 1 January, stated the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC). The restrictions also extend to online sale of firecrackers.

Now that the ban has been announced earlier than usual, The city administration and city police will have sufficient time to introduce a mechanism to supervise the illegal manufacturing, sale and use of firecrackers. 

“There will be a complete ban on the manufacturing, storage, selling (including delivery through online marketing platforms) and bursting of all kinds of firecrackers up to January 1, 2023 (sic)”, a statement from the DPCC read.

Delhi’s AAP government had announced a complete ban on firecrackers till 1 January 2022 last year. Fifteen special teams at the district level ran an aggressive campaign against the sale and use of firecrackers.

Apart from Delhi, the state of Haryana has also imposed a ban on the sale or use of all kinds of firecrackers in 14 of its districts in the National Capital Region, while Uttar Pradesh has allowed the use of green crackers on Diwali just for two hours in areas with moderate or better air quality.

Fireworks had led to major changes in PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations in Delhi on Diwali night of 4 November last year, according to the DPCC. The worsened air quality had affected several individuals – especially children and senior citizens, and those with respiratory diseases. Delhi’s 24-hour average air quality index for the day after Diwali was 462, the highest in five years.

The air quality in Delhi and neighbouring areas starts worsening in October due to meteorological factors such as low temperatures, wind speed which does not allow dispersion of pollutants, and emissions from firecrackers on and stubble burning in neighbouring states.

(With inputs from PTI)

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