The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has issued directions to the District Magistrates of Ghaziabad and Noida to ensure strict implementation of the Supreme Court’s order on bursting of firecrackers on Christmas and New Year.
In two separate notices dated December 10, CPCB Chairperson S.P. Singh Parihar called on the Noida and Ghaziabad DMs to step up and take extensive ground actions to prevent polluting activities.
The CPCB asked the officials to ensure that orders of the top court on regulating the bursting of crackers are complied with during Christmas and New Year celebrations.
The court had directed that bursting of crackers on Diwali and other festivals be limited to two hours and only “green firecrackers” be sold in Delhi and the National Capital Region. However, gross violations of the order were observed during Diwali with rampant burning of toxic firecrackers across the country.
A thick haze had engulfed Delhi the morning after Diwali as the city recorded its worst air quality of the year. The pollution level in Delhi had entered the ‘severe-plus emergency’ category, or 10 times the permissible limit.
Order violation
The police had registered over 550 cases and arrested over 300 people for violating the apex court’s order on November 8, a day after Diwali. The CPCB, in its notice to the DMs, observed that in Ghaziabad, 45 temporary licences were issued for sale of firecrackers. “However, no verification or compliance status of licence conditions have been reported,” Mr. Parihar said in the notice.
In Noida, 83 licences were issued for sale of green firecrackers and affidavits were taken from licence-owners stating that they would comply with the apex court directions, the notice read, adding that action taken against violators was “unsatisfactory”.
“As per report received, action taken were unsatisfactory to curtail the higher air pollutant levels and additional measures for control of air pollution is required as air quality is a major concern during winters,” Mr. Parihar said.
The CPCB sought reports on the issue by January 7.