With Diwali a week away, the Delhi government on Thursday said the Environment and Forest Department would depute teams to check whether firecrackers were being sold in markets across the city in violation of the Supreme Court ban.
The Supreme Court had on Monday banned the sale of firecrackers in the National Capital Region till November 1 in an effort to see whether it would lead to a less polluted Diwali, which is on October 19.
On Thursday, Delhi Environment and Forest Minister Imran Hussain reviewed the city’s ambient air quality at a time when burning of crop residue in neighbouring states and decreasing temperatures are leading to increased pollution levels, as per a statement.
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According to the Environment Department, officials would be sent to inspect markets to see whether firecrackers were available. The government teams would report any violation to the Delhi Police, since the police are the ones that issue temporary licences to firecracker-sellers.
Control measures
Apart from enforcing the ban, the government would also be strictly implementing other pollution-control measures, including action against open burning of waste and dust pollution caused by construction.
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Till last Diwali, the Environment Department had set up teams to check whether the fireworks being sold in the markets adhered to emission norms. With the blanket ban on sale till November 1, officials said identifying the violations would be easier.