NEW DELHI: The Delhi government’s much-publicised claims of a “complete ban on the storage, sale and use of all types of firecrackers’’ lay in tatters within hours after the sunset on the Diwali night.
The defeaning sound of firecrackers till past midnight indicated what a virtual defiance of all orders issued by courts and the government.
Notably, firecrackers are extensively used in India during various festivals, ceremonies and social events, as is true the world over. They find a special place during Diwali.
In India, firecrackers are available for use by the common public. Each and every individual is free to light the crackers wherever he/she desires.
However, just like last year, the Delhi government had imposed a blanket ban on the storage, sale, and use of all types of firecrackers in the capital till January 1, 2025. This was done in a bid to prevent the already polluted air from getting more toxic.
But the prohibition went for a toss on the Diwali night and the people, without any fear, burst firecrackers and even proudly shared it on social media.
A senior Delhi Police official said that every police district registered dozens of FIRs throughout the night for the violation of the prohibitory orders.
“Several teams were deployed throughout the night in several areas of the city to prevent the bursting of firecrackers and action was also taken against the offenders,” the official said. Yet, despite ban, people burst firecrackers.
According to official sources, about 200 FIRs were registered across Delhi for flouting the ban orders. Meanwhile, the BJP criticised the ruling-AAP for imposing a ban on bursting firecrackers as, according to the saffron party, there was no impact on air pollution.
“In the past two years, in 2022 and 2023, the AQI recorded on the morning after Diwali night was lower than that of Diwali day itself. Despite this, under Kejriwal’s direction, the current government...has been running a vigorous anti-firecracker campaign for the past one month and imposed a ban on firecrackers, which, like every year, Delhi residents ignored,” Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva said.
Sachdeva reiterated that they have consistently said the main factors for winter smog are stubble burning in Punjab and uncontrolled dust pollution.
“The truth is that dust from daily vehicular traffic on Delhi’s broken roads has a far greater impact than the firecrackers lit on a single night,” he said, adding that at 4 AM, November 1, the AQI was recorded at 359, and at 8 AM, it was 363, whereas yesterday, October 31, it was 365 and 370, respectively.