National Green Tribunal (NGT) has imposed a complete ban on the sale, purchase, or bursting of firecrackers in areas with ‘poor’, ‘very poor’, or ‘severe’ air quality category. Even the ones falling in the list of ‘good’, ‘moderate’ bracket category will be allowed to burst crackers only for 2 hours (that too green crackers) on the day of Diwali.
NGT has imposed a total ban on the dale or use of all sorts of crackers in the Delhi-NCR region from midnight 9 November to November 30. This step/ decision came to light on Monday to take a tough stance in checking the deteriorating air quality in the Delhi-NCR region.
Manufacturers are in a tizzy as they are facing a massive loss. Also, this order came from NGT after a day of the announcement made by Haryana CM ML Khattar who also allowed the sale and bursting of crackers only for two hours on Diwali. Manufacturers are claiming that they had invested a lot in the production, procurement, and license of newly introduced green crackers. They are now speculating and fearing a huge loss.
NGT Chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel and the bench pronounced that this ban would also be applicable in other towns and cities in the country where ever the air quality in November fell under ‘poor’, ‘very poor’ or ‘severe’ categories.
A notice was issued on November 2 to the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) and also to four other state governments consulting about the decision to ban firecrackers from November 7 to November 30 for the public interest, health, and environment.
AS per NGT’s announcement, only green crackers will be should be sold and purchased in the cities falling in ‘good’, and ‘moderate’ categories. Time for use or bursting of crackers will also be restricted to 2 hours only.
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Manufacturers and sellers of firecrackers advocated for the banning of construction instead of firecrackers as construction activity, in areas like Gurugram, has emerged as a major contributor to smog. They are also worried that the ban might incite and promote the illegal sale of conventional polluting crackers in the place of safe-green crackers.
