Firecrackers ban: What is NGT order? What will be the impact in Delhi-NCR

Firecrackers ban in Delhi-NCR: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has announced that there would be a “complete ban” on the firecrackers’ sale and use in Delhi-NCR. The NGT’s order came days after the Delhi government led by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced a blanket ban on firecrackers in the national capital citing air pollution and the number of Coronavirus cases in the region. The NGT’s order will also have bearing on the parts of Haryana. After this order, selling and bursting firecrackers will be prohibited on upcoming festivals Gurupurab, Diwali, and Kartik Purnima. Both NGT and Delhi governments’ orders covered all kinds of firecrackers including green crackers.

On November 5, the Delhi government issued a statement stating that it had decided to enforce a “complete ban” on the use, sell and purchase of firecrackers in the national capital between November 7 and November 30 citing ‘rising’ covid-19 cases and air pollution. On November 8, Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar led the Haryana government to announce a two-hour window for bursting and sale of firecrackers.

The NGT ordered a ban on the sale and purchase of firecrackers in Delhi-NCR with an effect from November 9 till November 30. Since the NGT order will be enforced in the National Capital Region (NCR), as many as 14 districts of Haryana will also come under the ambit of this order. These 14 districts of Haryana are Charkhi Dadri, Faridabad, Palwal, Gurgaon, Jhajjar, Rohtak, Rewari, Sonipat, Bhiwani, Panipat, Jind, Mahendragarh, and Karnal Nuh. Apart from these districts, several districts of Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh also fall in the NCR.

Haryana Chief Secretary Vijai Vardhan said that during Diwali, Gurpurab firecrackers will be allowed from 8 pm till 12 pm. During Christmas and on New Year’s Eve, firecrackers will be allowed from 11.55 pm till 12.30 am. Haryana government has said that the sale of firecrackers will only be through licensed traders.