Delhi government imposes complete firecracker ban till January 1

New Delhi: The Delhi government has announced a ban on the production, storage, sale, and use of firecrackers in the capital from today until January 1, 2025, in response to worsening air quality.

This decision follows heavy fireworks during the recent Dussehra celebrations and comes just 16 days before Diwali.

Last Sunday, Delhi’s air quality deteriorated to the “poor” category, prompting the new restrictions. The government has urged residents to cooperate in combating pollution during the colder months.

According to the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, the contribution of stubble burning to Delhi’s pollution was 0.442% on Sunday, with projections of 0.458% on Monday and 0.778% on Tuesday. Additionally, open waste burning contributed 1.896% to the pollution.

Air quality varied across the National Capital Region (NCR), with Faridabad recording the cleanest air at an AQI of 177 (moderate), while Ghaziabad had an AQI of 265, Greater Noida 228, Noida 243, and Gurugram 169.