Delhi govt bans manufacturing, sale, storage and use of firecrackers to curb pollution in winter

Delhi government has on Monday announced ban on manufacturing, sale, storage and use of firecrackers as part of action plan to curb pollution in winter.

Environment Minister Gopal Rai said: "We all know that the pollution level increases in Delhi during the winters. To tackle this, the Delhi government has started working on the winter action plan. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has also decided to implement a complete ban on all kind of crackers in the city."

Government has taken a decision to ban production, storage, sale (includimg online sale) and bursting of crackers. Instructions have been issued to Delhi Police not to allow licences for the same, he said.

Delhi government has also appealed to neighbouring states to initiate similar ban on firecrackers.

The Delhi government has been following the practice of banning all kinds of firecrackers since the last three years.

''We have seen a considerable improvement in Delhi's air quality in the last five-six years but we have to improve it further. Therefore, we have decided to ban firecrackers this year too,'' Rai said.

Last year, the government had announced that bursting firecrackers on Diwali in the city would attract a jail term up to six months and a fine of Rs 200.

It had said production, storage and sale of firecrackers in Delhi would be punishable with a fine of up to Rs 5,000 and three years in jail under Section 9B of the Explosives Act.