The Delhi government on Monday announced to ban the production, storage, sale, and bursting of crackers, ahead of Diwali 2023. Announcing the ban, Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai said that instructions have been issued to the Delhi Police not to allow licences for the same.
He further said that Delhi has seen a considerable improvement in air quality in the last five years, but we have to improve it further and this ban is implemented as part of an action plan to reduce pollution levels in winter.
Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai said, "CM Arvind Kejriwal has decided that firecrackers should be banned on the occasion of Diwali to control pollution. Manufacturing, storage, sale, online delivery and bursting of any type of firecrackers is completely prohibited in Delhi."
"Police have been directed to issue a circular on behalf of the DPCC (Delhi Pollution Control Committee) that no licence is issued... As important as it is to celebrate a festival, it is equally important to look after the environment... That is why we have been taking this decision in Delhi for the last 2 years and the people of Delhi are supportive...," he said.
Pollution caused during Diwali celebrations in Delhi (ANI Image)
He also requested other states to follow the same to control the air pollution. “My request to other States is that if we can ban this together, we will be successful in controlling pollution from firecrackers,” he said.
The Delhi government has been following the practice of banning all kinds of firecrackers for the last three years. Last year, the government announced that bursting firecrackers on Diwali in the city would attract a jail term of up to six months and a fine of Rs 200. It had said production, storage and sale of firecrackers in Delhi would be punishable with a fine of up to Rs 5,000 and three years in jail under Section 9B of the Explosives Act.