Also Read: Even as the national capital continued its battle with toxic air, several instances of firecracker bursting, before and after the time limit fixed by the apex court, were observed in Delhi-NCR during New Year celebrations. The Centre-run System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting (SAFAR) on Monday warned that any new trigger, particularly due to “open fire and pyrotechnic display (firecrackers)”, will make the air heavier and thicker which may lead to rapid deterioration in air quality to severe-plus range.
Also Read: Air Pollution: Delhi Environment Minister Directs Authorities To Control Local Polluting Factors
The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) had written to Delhi police and district magistrates of the national capital, Noida and Gurgaon ahead of Christmas and New Year’s eve to ensure that the Supreme Court order in this regard is followed and no firecrackers are burst.
But despite the warnings, several instances of violations of the apex court order was observed, officials said, adding the number of violations committed was, however, not available immediately.
The Supreme Court had said on Christmas and the New Year’s eve, green firecrackers would be allowed to be burst between 11.55 pm and 12.30 am, since these celebrations start midnight.
Delhi has been battling alarming pollution levels since October, and in the last 10 days, the national capital witnessed long spells of severe air quality which continued to plague the city on New Year’s eve and on the first day of January.
The SAFAR has said,
Any new trigger in terms of additional local emission, particularly from open fire, pyrotechnic display (fire crackers) and fossil fuel burning, may make the air heavier, thicker, and with low ventilation it may lead to rapid deterioration in the quality of air to severe-plus range.
NDTV – Dettol Banega Swachh India campaign lends support to the Government of India’s Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM). Helmed by Campaign Ambassador Amitabh Bachchan, the campaign aims to spread awareness about hygiene and sanitation, the importance of building toilets and making India open defecation free (ODF) by October 2019, a target set by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, when he launched Swachh Bharat Abhiyan in 2014. Over the years, the campaign has widened its scope to cover issues like air pollution, waste management, plastic ban, manual scavenging and menstrual hygiene. The campaign has also focused extensively on marine pollution, clean Ganga Project and rejuvenation of Yamuna, two of India’s major river bodies.
