Post the Diwali celebrations, the pollution level in Delhi shot up to a dangerous level that was said to be the worst in three years and, though people were citing various reasons for the increase in the levels, one cannot deny the fact that firecrackers have a huge role to play in this situation. So on Friday, the Supreme Court passed an order that won’t go down too well with some people but is more of a relief for the rest of the public. The decision is to put a ban on the sale of firecrackers in Delhi/NCR in order to keep a tab on the rising pollution level.
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As per the order, the licenses of the existing sellers will be suspended and the government will not issue a new license to any seller in Delhi/NCR. However, the court also mentioned that it’s very difficult to implement and monitor people who are bursting crackers, so there isn’t any restriction on them as of now. The Supreme Court further asked the Central Pollution Control Board to study the harmful effects of materials that are used in making firecrackers and submit a report within three months.
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In fact, a petition on Change.org was being circulated, seeking a blanket ban on firecrackers in Delhi that gathered over 14,000 signatures. Reportedly, the Delhi Pollution Control Committee said that on Diwali night, PM10 (Particulate Matter) ranged from 448 g/m3 (micrograms per cubic meter) to 939 g/m3 compared to the national safe standard of 100 g/m3.
Apparently, in 2015, the Supreme Court had rejected a plea to ban firecrackers during Diwali. In the ongoing wedding season, where bursting firecrackers is a regular affair, this move will certainly help the environment.
Source: The Times Of India