Delhi Police have registered over 150 cases across the city for violating the Supreme Court’s restrictions on firecrackers during Diwali. The court had allowed firecrackers only on October 19 and 20, between 6 am and 7 am and 8 pm and 10 pm, but reports of late-night fireworks poured in from several districts.
According to police data, Dwarka and Rohini districts each reported 24 cases of bursting crackers beyond the allowed hours. Rohini also recorded three cases of illegal sale. In the Outer North district, police filed eight cases for violations of the time limit and one case for illegal sale.
The Outer district saw 30 cases for bursting crackers beyond the permitted hours and 10 for illegal sale. Similar violations were reported in other areas, taking the total to over 100 cases for bursting beyond limits and more than 50 for unlawful sale. A senior police officer said, “Teams were deployed across all districts. We took strict action wherever violations were found. Offenders have been booked under relevant sections.”
Despite restrictions, Delhi residents woke up on Tuesday to a thick layer of grey haze and the sharp smell of smoke hanging over the city. The widespread bursting of firecrackers through the night pushed air quality into the ‘very poor’ to ‘severe’ range.
According to the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC), 35 out of 38 monitoring stations recorded AQI levels in the red zone. Areas such as Anand Vihar, Rohini, Jahangirpuri, and RK Puram witnessed some of the worst readings, with visibility dropping significantly in the early hours.
Officials said police had carried out enforcement drives throughout Diwali to ensure compliance with court directions. Patrolling was intensified in residential areas, and checkpoints were set up to prevent the illegal sale and transport of firecrackers. Another officer said, “Teams were alert in markets and colonies. We acted immediately against anyone found bursting crackers outside the permitted hours.” The police have said monitoring will continue during the festive week to prevent repeat violations and to keep air quality from worsening further.
The Delhi Police have urged residents to celebrate responsibly and follow the court’s guidelines to reduce pollution and prevent accidents. “We request people to refrain from bursting firecrackers and cooperate in keeping Delhi’s air clean,” an official said.
Environmental experts said the recurring post-Diwali smog showed the limited impact of legal restrictions without public participation. Despite enforcement and awareness campaigns, pollution levels spiked sharply again this year, underscoring the challenge of controlling festive emissions in the Capital.