Despite SC banning the firecrackers, there was flouting of the order in several parts of the country, especially on the night of Diwali.
Delhi woke up to a thick haze blanketing the atmosphere today after the ban on firecrackers was flouted during Diwali in several parts of the capital. According to IQAir, Delhi had an air quality index (AQI) of 420, which is above the ‘hazardous’ stage.
But there are two other states in India which witnessed equally deteriorated air quality after the Diwali celebration- Kolkata and Mumbai. They were placed in the fourth and eighth positions, respectively, in the list of top 10 most polluted cities in the world.
According to the West Bengal Pollution Control Board (WBPCB), the AQI in several parts of Kolkata crossed 250-mark. In Mumbai, the AQI dipped to ‘poor’ category at 234-mark, as reported by the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR-India).
The AQI from 0 to 100 is termed good, while from 100 to 200 is moderate, from 200 to 300 is poor, and from 300 to 400 is very poor and from 400 to 500 or above is considered as severe.
The Supreme Court on November 7 banned firecrackers made of barium and other banned chemicals, in every state and not just in the Delhi-NCR, which is hit by severe air pollution every year.
“Celebration can be done only if you share what you have. Not by polluting the environment. If you do that, you are being selfish...These days it’s not the children who do it, but the elders are burning more crackers,” stated the bench.
Despite the SC order, firecrackers were burst across the country, the intensity of which increased on Diwali night.
Ban on firecrackers are imposed annually, but those restrictions are rarely implemented.
“It is ironic that a country that could close down at a four-hour notice for lockdown cannot control or implement a Supreme Court order... Obviously, there was a lack of will and no enforcement. This is a very serious issue... The Supreme Court should call all the states and ask them why this order was not enforced,” Congress MP Manish Tewari said after worsening air quality in the country.
Apart from the burning of firecrackers, stubble burning, emissions from vehicles and industries are also responsible for air pollution in Delhi and other cities.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Delhi air quality index (AQI) dipped to 420")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}