Despite legal restrictions, people started bursting crackers in the evening in many parts of the city.
Despite legal restrictions, people started bursting crackers in the evening in many parts of the city.
People in Delhi flouting the ban imposed on them by the city government caused thunderstorms and thunderstorms with a large number of high-decibel firecrackers during the night of Diwali on Monday.
Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai had last week said that bursting of crackers in the national capital on Diwali would attract a jail term of up to six months and a fine of Rs 200.
Despite legal restrictions in place, people in several parts of the city, including south and north-west Delhi, started bursting crackers early in the evening. High-intensity firecrackers could be heard on the ground or in the air.
And, as the night progressed, the intensity of the firecrackers exceeded the permissible decibel limit, leading some to wonder “were there any restrictions”.
The bursting of crackers on Diwali is an age-old tradition, but officials in Delhi said the decision to ban it was taken after considering environmental concerns and the health hazards associated with it.
Delhi’s air quality turned “very poor” on Monday amid moderate adverse weather conditions allowing stubble burning, bursting of crackers and accumulation of pollutants.
However, the 24-hour average air quality index (AQI) of 312 was still the second best for Diwali in seven years. The city recorded an AQI of 281 on Diwali in 2018.
Earlier in the day, experts feared that if the quantity of crackers increases again this year, the air quality is likely to deteriorate further.
If crackers are burst like last year, the air quality may drop to the “severe” level on Diwali night itself and remain in the “red” zone for another day, according to the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting End. Research (SAFAR) had previously predicted.
bursting of crackers with impunity
Despite the ban, people burst firecrackers without any hindrance in various areas from around 6 pm onwards.
In south Delhi’s East of Kailash, and neighboring places such as Nehru Place and Moolchand, crackers could be heard in the middle of the air in the evening. Some residents, like every year, burst crackers in their neighborhood.
In Burari too, many residents burst firecrackers despite widespread dissemination of information about the ban.
“They are educated but still doing so, what will the children learn from this,” said a resident of a colony in Burari.
A similar situation prevailed in Laxmi Nagar, Mayur Vihar and Shahdara in East Delhi. While the intensity in late evening was lower than last year, it increased after 9 pm
A resident of Laxmi Nagar said, “It felt like slog overs have started.”
Loud bursts of firecrackers were also reported in south-west Delhi’s Munirka area.
Bipasha Ghosh, 19, who moved from Kolkata to south Delhi’s Kailash Hills area a few days ago, said, “It’s 11 o’clock in the night in my area, I wonder if there is a ban on bursting of firecrackers in Delhi. Also, doing so. People who are irresponsible and insensitive towards the environment and people who have respiratory problems and other health issues.
Many people complained of itching in the skin and burning in the eyes due to the smoke from the firecrackers.
“I won’t go out tomorrow, I know what the air quality will be tomorrow,” said Ritu Nandan, a student who lives in south Delhi.
Delhi Environment Minister Rai had earlier said that the production, storage and sale of firecrackers in the city could attract 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 were formed to enforce the ban.
The Delhi Police constituted 210 teams under the Assistant Commissioners of Police, while the Revenue Department constituted 165 teams and the Delhi Pollution Control Committee 33 teams.
In neighboring cities of Gurugram and Faridabad too, many people burst crackers.
The air quality in Ghaziabad (301), Noida (303), Greater Noida (270), Gurugram (325) and Faridabad (256) was recorded in the ‘poor to very poor’ category 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”.