In a move to check air pollution, the Delhi government on Monday imposed an immediate ban on the production, storage, sale, and use of all kinds of firecrackers across the city, effective until January 1. It also bans the manufacturing, storage and selling of firecrackers, including delivery through online marketing platforms. The announcement from the Delhi Pollution Control Committee came after the capital was caught in the grip of increasing pollution levels. As per the Delhi government’s data, the air quality index recorded a very poor category of 313 at 5 pm in Anand Vihar, which was highest in the city. The other air pollution stations were also recorded in the poor category on Monday.
Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai made the announcement and urged Delhi residents to support the government's efforts to curb air pollution.
Rai in a post on X said, "In view of the increasing pollution in winter, a ban has been imposed on the production, storage, sale, and use of firecrackers from today till January 1."
"The Delhi government has issued instructions regarding the ban, and we request the cooperation of all Delhiites," he added. The Delhi Pollution Control Committee has issued detailed instructions to ensure the effective implementation of the ban with a provision of strict punishment for violations.
The ban, which applies to all forms of firecrackers, including those sold online, comes ahead of the winter pollution that worsens due to stubble burning, lower wind speeds, and other seasonal factors. According to the directive, Delhi Police is tasked with enforcing the ban and is required to give daily action reports to the DPCC.
Rai, who was visiting the construction site of a sports complex, said, "Today, the AQI has been reported in the 'poor' category, and as winter approaches, pollution tends to increase as temperatures drop. The government is working on a 21-point plan to address this issue, and we will intensify our efforts to raise public awareness on the matter." He cited dust pollution, transport emissions, and biomass burning as the three main sources of pollution in the city.
The firecracker ban is a part of series of measures planned by the Delhi government under its Winter Action Plan 2024 to combat air pollution.
In a first, the Delhi government will use drones for real-time air quality monitoring across various pollution hotspots in the city. The plan also includes monitoring hotspots, vehicle and dust pollution, stubble and garbage burning, industrial pollution and upgrading the green war room etc. The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) assessed the air quality on Sunday and said it would closely monitor the scenario for a day or more before invoking Stage-1 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), a set of emergency response measures to curb air pollution in NCR and nearby areas.
