In wake of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) restrictions on firecrackers, the district administration has permitted bursting off only green crackers, that too for two hours on Diwali. People will be allowed to burst green crackers from 8.00 pm to 10.00 pm on Saturday in the state capital.
Similarly, bursting of crackers will be allowed in morning hours on Chhat puja from 6:00am to 8:00am, while on Christmas only 35 minutes will be allotted- from 11:55 pm to 12:30am- to burst green crackers.
Collector Avinash Lawania issued guidelines for bursting firecrackers on festivals after the green tribunal’s order which has restricted bursting of crackers with riders—depending on Air Quality Index(AQI). Bhopal had AQI 195 which MP Pollution Control Board (MPPCB) had shown moderate in the last Diwali in 2019, he added.
National Green Tribunal (NGT), in its order on November 9, directed that there would be a total ban on sale or use of all kinds of firecrackers between November 10 and 30 in all cities and towns across the country where the average ambient air quality in November fell under the ‘poor’ and above category.
NGT further clarified that pollution caused by fireworks was an ‘aggravating risk to lives and health’. It said a general ban in all cities with rising air pollution should last until November 30.
State authorities in the rest of the country are considering allowing one-hour windows on Saturday for setting off firecrackers. The national capital New Delhi and the states of Rajasthan, Haryana, Maharashtra and West Bengal have already halted or restricted the sale and use of firecrackers.
