Tag: delhi firecrackers ban

  • Delhi chokes as firecrackers burst in many parts, despite ban

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Firecrackers were burst by people in many parts of Delhi on Diwali night, flouting the ban imposed on it by the city government.

    Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai last week had said bursting of firecrackers on Diwali in the national capital will attract a jail term up to six months and a fine of Rs 200.

    Despite legal deterrent in place to discourage people from doing so, by dusk, residents in many neighborhoods, including some areas in south Delhi and northwest Delhi, had started bursting crackers.

    Even high-intensity firecrackers could be heard going off on ground, or mid-air. Diwali is being celebrated across the country on Monday.

    Bursting of firecrackers on this auspicious day is an old tradition, but authorities in the city had said the decision to restrict it was taken after considering environmental concerns and health hazards associated with it.

    Delhi’s air quality turned “very poor” on Monday amid an increase in stubble burning, bursting of firecrackers and moderately unfavourable meteorological conditions which allowed accumulation of pollutants.

    However, the 24-hour average air quality index (AQI) of 312 was still the second best for the Diwali day in seven years.

    Before this, the city recorded an AQI of 281 on Diwali in 2018. Experts fear that if volume of firecrackers burst goes up again this year, the air quality is likely to dip further.

    In case firecrackers are burst like last year, the air quality may plunge to “severe” levels on the night of Diwali itself and continue to remain in the “red” zone for another day, the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR) had earlier predicted.

    However, despite the ban in place, people burst firecrackers with impunity in various areas of the city, staring around 6 pm.

    In south Delhi’s East of Kailash area, and neighbouring places like Nehru Place, Moolchand, noise of firecrackers going off in mid-air could be heard in the evening, while some residents burst it in their neighborhood streets, as they do it every year.

    In Burari too, many residents were enjoying bursting firecrackers despite wide dissemination of the information about the ban through media and other means.

    “They are educated but still doing this, what will children learn from it,” said a resident of a colony in Burari, on the condition of anonymity.

    In Laxmi Nagar, Mayur Vihar and Shahdara areas in east Delhi, the situation was similar. However, the intensity was lower compared to the situation last year, some residents said. Loud thuds of crackers were also reported in southwest Delhi’s Munirka area.

    Environment Minister Rai had earlier also said production, storage and sale of firecrackers in the city will be punishable with a fine of up to Rs 5,000 and three years in jail under Section 9B of the Explosives Act.

    A total of 408 teams have been set up to implement the ban. The Delhi Police has set up 210 teams under assistant commissioners of police, while the revenue department has set up 165 teams and the Delhi Pollution Control Committee has constituted 33 teams.

    In neighbouring cities of Gurugram and Faridabad too, many people burst firecrackers.

    The air quality in Ghaziabad (301), Noida (303), Greater Noida (270), Gurugram (325) and Faridabad (256) was reported ‘poor to very poor’ on Monday.

    An AQI between zero and 50 is considered “good”, 51 and 100 “satisfactory”, 101 and 200 “moderate”, 201 and 300 “poor”, 301 and 400 “very poor”, and 401 and 500 “severe”.

    NEW DELHI: Firecrackers were burst by people in many parts of Delhi on Diwali night, flouting the ban imposed on it by the city government.

    Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai last week had said bursting of firecrackers on Diwali in the national capital will attract a jail term up to six months and a fine of Rs 200.

    Despite legal deterrent in place to discourage people from doing so, by dusk, residents in many neighborhoods, including some areas in south Delhi and northwest Delhi, had started bursting crackers.

    Even high-intensity firecrackers could be heard going off on ground, or mid-air. Diwali is being celebrated across the country on Monday.

    Bursting of firecrackers on this auspicious day is an old tradition, but authorities in the city had said the decision to restrict it was taken after considering environmental concerns and health hazards associated with it.

    Delhi’s air quality turned “very poor” on Monday amid an increase in stubble burning, bursting of firecrackers and moderately unfavourable meteorological conditions which allowed accumulation of pollutants.

    However, the 24-hour average air quality index (AQI) of 312 was still the second best for the Diwali day in seven years.

    Before this, the city recorded an AQI of 281 on Diwali in 2018. Experts fear that if volume of firecrackers burst goes up again this year, the air quality is likely to dip further.

    In case firecrackers are burst like last year, the air quality may plunge to “severe” levels on the night of Diwali itself and continue to remain in the “red” zone for another day, the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR) had earlier predicted.

    However, despite the ban in place, people burst firecrackers with impunity in various areas of the city, staring around 6 pm.

    In south Delhi’s East of Kailash area, and neighbouring places like Nehru Place, Moolchand, noise of firecrackers going off in mid-air could be heard in the evening, while some residents burst it in their neighborhood streets, as they do it every year.

    In Burari too, many residents were enjoying bursting firecrackers despite wide dissemination of the information about the ban through media and other means.

    “They are educated but still doing this, what will children learn from it,” said a resident of a colony in Burari, on the condition of anonymity.

    In Laxmi Nagar, Mayur Vihar and Shahdara areas in east Delhi, the situation was similar. However, the intensity was lower compared to the situation last year, some residents said. Loud thuds of crackers were also reported in southwest Delhi’s Munirka area.

    Environment Minister Rai had earlier also said production, storage and sale of firecrackers in the city will be punishable with a fine of up to Rs 5,000 and three years in jail under Section 9B of the Explosives Act.

    A total of 408 teams have been set up to implement the ban. The Delhi Police has set up 210 teams under assistant commissioners of police, while the revenue department has set up 165 teams and the Delhi Pollution Control Committee has constituted 33 teams.

    In neighbouring cities of Gurugram and Faridabad too, many people burst firecrackers.

    The air quality in Ghaziabad (301), Noida (303), Greater Noida (270), Gurugram (325) and Faridabad (256) was reported ‘poor to very poor’ on Monday.

    An AQI between zero and 50 is considered “good”, 51 and 100 “satisfactory”, 101 and 200 “moderate”, 201 and 300 “poor”, 301 and 400 “very poor”, and 401 and 500 “severe”.

  • Banned in Delhi-NCR, crackers being dumped in Punjab with 40 per cent discount   

    Express News Service

    CHANDIGARH:  Banned in the National Capital Region (NCR) and Haryana, the firecrackers are being dumped in Punjab with discounts up to 40 per cent. The wholesalers of the NCR and Haryana are eying Punjab to recoup their losses. However, the government in Punjab has allowed only a two-hour window to burst green crackers. The normal crackers have been banned in Punjab. The sale of crackers has gone up by 50 per cent in Punjab as compared to last year.

    The super wholesalers of firecrackers in Delhi are dumping their stock worth lakhs which is left from the last year or this year in Punjab. “The big traders from the national capital are clearing their stock by offering 20% discounts to retailers in many cities across Punjab on the condition of payment by cash as finally it touches more than 40 per cent. The discount on banned high-noise bombs and aerial crackers is even higher,” said a wholesaler.

    He added that besides offering heavy discounts, the bulk delivery of crackers within the state is also being done. “The reason is that that we have to clear our stocks which we have stored at our godowns in neighbouring Haryana whatever it takes. Hence, we are offering heavy discounts,’’ said a Delhi-based trader.

    Another dealer who supplies crackers said firecracker rates had fallen down by 25 per cent as old stocks were lying with the dealers for about two years. “We have placed the orders for green crackers,” he added.The Punjab government has authorised the state police to check and ensure that only green crackers are sold.  It has already ordered that only green crackers will be allowed to be sold. The government has fixed two hours time to burst them.

    One of the region’s biggest cracker hubs in Punjab, Kurali, which has 14 wholesalers, alone generates the business of nearly Rs 8 crore to Rs 10 crore every year. A leading wholesaler said that this year the sales of crackers had gone up by 50 per cent as compared to last year. “People from the state besides Haryana and Himachal Pradesh are coming to buy the firecrackers. Besides the crackers, the sales of candles have also doubled,” he added.

     Meanwhile, even in the event of not celebrating Diwali amid the explosions of firecrackers, the mood of Delhiites remained upbeat on Dhanteras on Tuesday. People flocked to various markets in Delhi. 

    Mood upbeat despite orderMeanwhile, even in the event of not celebrating Diwali amid explosions of firecrackers, the mood of Delhiites remained upbeat on Dhanteras on Tuesday. People flocked to various markets in Delhi. From old Chandni Chowk to Lajpat Nagar, the festival rush was visible.