Delhi revellers flout ban, burst Diwali crackers as thick smog fills air in national capital

In the last few weeks, Delhi has witnessed deterioration of air quality due to stubble burning and the government implemented emergency measures under Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP). A ban was imposed on Diwali crackers but revellers went ahead with fireworks though on a lesser scale. About 22 calls related to fires caused by crackers were received by fires services staff but none was injured, sources said.

New Delhi [India] : Diwali revellers ignored the ban in the national capital and burst crackers and fireworks in most parts on the festival day night yesterday. The fireworks contributed to a thick layer of smog that spread in Delhi on Diwali night. When compared to the previous eight years, the pollution due to Diwali crackers is stated to be less in Delhi. The air quality index (AQI) was recorded in poor category at 275 today morning.

Amidst alarming rise in pollution on account of stubble burning already, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Delhi government imposed a complete ban on firecrackers in the city limits on the festival day. However, the revellers had gone on to celebrate the festivities in their traditional style and one cannot imagine Diwali without bursting crackers.

In the last few days, deterioration of air quality has been reported in the national capital on account of farm residue burning in the neighbouring States. There are concerns that Diwali crackers might have further accentuated this problem. Thick haze covered the roads limiting visibility below 100 metres in different parts of Delhi in the aftermath of the festival of fireworks.

Meanwhile, the Delhi Fire Services received at least 208 calls of fire-related incidents on Diwali festival day. About 22 of those calls were related to fires caused by crackers but none was injured, sources said. A fire broke out at a godown at Sadar Bazar in Central Delhi, which was brought under control, officials said.

The air quality in Delhi has hovered around 'very poor' and 'severe' category for several days now. Following suggestions from some quarters, the AAP government toyed with the idea of 'artificial rain' to check pollution.

Social media was full of pictures and videos of Diwali revellers bursting crackers at many places in Delhi. The festival revelry went on at Karol Bagh, Lodhi Road and other places in the national capital.

The latest posts shared on social media sites and reports have shown that a large number of people at different places have taken part in the burning of firecrackers. Sunday night's visuals from Lodhi Road, RK Puram, Karol Bagh, and Punjabi Bagh showed intense fireworks lighting up the night sky across several areas in the national capital.

Recently, the Supreme Court expressed concern that the government officials were holdings meetings on pollution but nothing was happening on the ground level to check the same in Delhi. At one time, the worsening AQI has even prompted the Centre to implement all emergency measures mandated under the final Stage IV of its air pollution control plan called the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP).

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