Over 600 kg illegal crackers seized, 31 arrested on Diwali in New Delhi

New Delhi: In its crackdown on storing and selling polluting firecrackers, following the Supreme Court order, the Delhi Police arrested 31 people and seized over 600 kg illegal crackers on Diwali day. In North West Delhi, 140 kg of non-permissible crackers were seized and 57 cases were registered, while 200 kg such crackers were caught from Dwarka and total 42 cases were registered, including those selling crackers and bursting them before 8:00 pm and after 10:00 pm.

In total, 23 FIRs were registered in South East Delhi and 17 people arrested, while 278 kg crackers were taken into custody. Meanwhile, 72 kg crackers were seized in North Delhi and 14 people were arrested. The Supreme Court had on October 23 stated in its guidelines that only firecrackers with reduced emission (improved crackers) and green crackers and Safe Water and Air Sprinklers (SWAS) would be made and sold.

The manufacture, sale, and use of joined crackers (series crackers or laris), the court said, were banned as they equally contribute to the air, noise and solid waste pollution. It added that those crackers, which have already been produced and do not fulfill the permissible conditions, would not be sold in Delhi and NCR.

Despite the Supreme Court's order, the air quality in the national capital reached the 'hazardous' level on next day of Diwali as people woke up to a thick blanket of smog leading to low visibility.

The overall Air Quality Index (AQI) of Delhi at 8:30 am was recorded at 458, which falls under the 'severe' category, indicated System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR).

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