NGT pronounces total ban against sale, use of all firecrackers in Delhi-NCR from midnight till Nov 30

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Monday  pronounced a total ban against the sale and use of all firecrackers in the Delhi-NCR region from midnight to November 30.

According to sources, the NGT added that in cities or towns where the air quality is ‘moderate’ or below , only green fire crackers will be sold and the time duration of bursting them will be restricted to two hours during festivals such as Diwali, Chhath, New Year/Christmas Eve as may be specified by the state.

Currently, the state governments have their own set of guidelines with regard to permitting/banning the sale and use of firecrackers during the festive season.

The Arvind Kejriwal led-Delhi government at a Covid-19 review meeting on Thursday had decided to ban the use of firecrackers as it was directly proportional to the sharp rise in the national capital’s daily coronavirus tally.

On Sunday, Delhi recorded the biggest ever jump 7,745 Covid-19 cases and 77 deaths which pushed the tally and death toll to 438,529 and 6,989 respectively. Experts have suggested the state government should ramp up its testing as there is already a third wave of the outbreak prevailing and the situation could worsen with 15,000 cases being logged in a single day.

Meanwhile the Haryana government has allowed the use of firecrackers allowed between 8 pm till 10 pm on Diwali and Gurupurab, and 11.55 pm till 1230 am on Christmas and New Year’s eve.

Apart from firecrackers, the rising pollution levels in the Delhi-NCR has also been due to stubble burning.