Here is what it means

Ahead of the Christmas and New Year celebrations, the Delhi government has imposed a “perpetual ban” on the manufacture, use, and sale of firecrackers in the national capital, which has seen a rise in air pollution levels in the past few days. The ban, imposed under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, covers the bursting, manufacturing, storage, and selling, including delivery through online marketing platforms, of all kinds of firecrackers in Delhi.

CREDIT: BCCL

Perpetual ban on firecrackers

According to the Delhi government, the perpetual ban on firecrackers was imposed due to increased air pollution levels.

“Delhi faces grave air pollution, particularly in the winter season, and the level of pollutants like Particulate Matter Concentration (PM2.5 and PM10) goes much beyond the prescribed standards for Ambient Air Quality,” said the order.

The bursting of firecrackers is one of the several factors that contribute to the increase in air pollution levels in Delhi and adjoining areas in the winter season.

Also read: ‘Zero right to tell people not to burst firecrackers on Diwali unless…’, Bombay Shaving Company CEO has a valid point

CREDIT: BCCL

How ban on firecrackers failed in Delhi

In the past too, the Delhi government had tried to control air pollution by banning manufacturing, storage, selling, and bursting of firecrackers, especially during Diwali, Christmas, and New Year, under the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981.

However, the enforcement of such bans has remained a challenge, due to which the Supreme Court recently asked the Delhi government to take effective steps, including a decision on the perpetual ban on firecrackers.

CREDIT: BCCL

Air Quality in Delhi

Meanwhile, the air quality of Delhi continues to be in the ‘severe’ category on Friday, with the AQI in most parts of the national capital hovering over the 400-mark.

Delhi’s air quality on Thursday had plunged into the ‘severe plus’ category, with a 24-hour average AQI of 451 recorded at 4 pm, as per CPB data.

Earlier this week, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) had reimposed stage 4 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) in Delhi NCR, due to the increase in air pollution levels.

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