Despite the ban imposed on its sale and use in the National Capital Region in view of rising air pollution and Covid-19 pandemic, bursting of firecrackers was reported from across the national Capital and its neighbouring areas on Diwali night.
Meanwhile the Delhi Police arrested over 850 people and registered over 1,200 cases for continuing to burst crackers as well as sell them. A total of 1,314 kilograms of crackers were seized in Delhi on Saturday, police said. According to Delhi Police, 139 calls were received from the Rohini district. Sixty-five FIRs were registered against violators and two cases were against the illegal sale of firecrackers. Meanwhile, Dwarka registered 72 cases against the bursting of firecrackers. The highest numbers of cases were registered in the South district.
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) had on Monday imposed a total ban on sale or use of all kinds of firecrackers in the NCR till November 30 midnight. The Delhi Government too had earlier this month imposed a total ban on all kinds of fireworks till November 30.
However, on Diwali night firecrackers could be seen going off in various residential colonies of the national Capital from around 8 pm.
The Delhi Police, however, said it has deployed personnel in many parts of the city and action will be taken against those violating the ban.
“We have deployed adequate police personnel to check illegal sale and bursting of fire crackers. Today also, personnel have been deployed and action will be taken against the offenders,” a senior police officer said.
In south Delhi’’s Lajpat Nagar area, a lot of crackers could be heard going off.
In Delhi’’s neighbouring Noida, Pawan Kumar said he could hear a lot of firecrackers. “People burst crackers despite the fact that there was a ban. There should have been strict measures to enforce the ban at ground level,” he said.