New Delhi: In a proactive move to combat rising pollution levels during the winter season, the Delhi government on Monday announced a comprehensive ban on the use of firecrackers within the city.
The decision, aimed at safeguarding the health of residents, comes as part of ongoing efforts to mitigate air pollution in the capital.
During a press conference, Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai revealed, ‘The air of Delhi becomes very polluted in winter, and it is very lethal for children and the elderly. Keeping this in mind, the government has directed a blanket ban on the manufacture, storage, sale, including delivery through online marketing platforms, and bursting of firecrackers.’
‘We’ve witnessed notable improvements in Delhi’s air quality over the past five to six years, but further enhancement is needed,’ he added.
The Delhi government has also directed the Delhi Police not to issue licenses related to the sale of firecrackers to anyone. Rai emphasised the need for neighbouring states in the National Capital Region (NCR) to also impose similar bans, as the effects of firecracker use in the NCR have a detrimental impact on Delhi’s air quality.
Highlighting the seasonal nature of Delhi’s pollution problem, the minister explained that pollution levels tend to increase significantly during the winter months.
While Delhi experienced relatively low levels of pollution from January to August, the approach of winter brings higher humidity and the accumulation of particulate matter. This, combined with external pollution sources, exacerbates air quality issues.
Furthermore, Rai noted the success of previous pollution control efforts, citing a reduction of 42 per cent in PM10 levels and 46 per cent in PM2.5 levels over the past nine years.
He further announced that the Delhi government will host an ‘Environmental Experts Meet’ at the Delhi Secretariat to gather input for the Winter Action Plan, on Tuesday.
Rai stated, ‘In this meeting mainly 24 organisations and experts will be involved, and their suggestions will be included in the Winter Action Plan.’
Experts from organisations such as CSE, Council of Energy, Environment and Water, and UNEP will participate.
On September 14, a joint meeting involving 28 government departments will take place to draft a coordinated action plan for tackling Delhi’s pollution.
The minister outlined the primary goal of this meeting, saying, “The major goal of this meeting is to create a coordinated action plan in the fight against Delhi’s pollution. Based on the key points outlined in the Winter Action Plan, specific responsibilities will be given to various departments during the meeting scheduled for September 14.”