Bursting firecrackers to invite 6-yr jail, Rs 1L fine: Delhi Govt

1. Bursting firecrackers to invite 6-yr jail, Rs 1L fine: Delhi Govt NGT imposes total ban on sale, use of crackers in Delhi-NCR As Air Quality Index (AQI) in Delhi touched severe plus category with 534 micrograms per cubic on Monday, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) imposed total ban on the sale and use of crackers in the Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR) starting from November 9 to November 30. Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai on Monday said action will be taken against those not complying with the ban on firecrackers under the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act which invites a jail term of up to six years and a fine of up to Rs 1 lakh. Rai discussed the standard operating procedures to implement the ban at a meeting with district magistrates and senior officials of the Delhi Police and the environment and revenue departments. “As per the discussion, police can register an FIR and prosecute those violating the ban on firecrackers under the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act,” he told reporters. “An offence can invite a fine and a jail term of minimum one and a half years and maximum of six years,” the Minister said. Rai said according to experts, the smoke from farm fires is expected to keep the national Capital’s air quality in the “severe” zone till Diwali.

2. The Delhi Government had last week imposed a complete ban on the sale and bursting of all types of firecrackers from November 7 to November 30. An official in Indian Meteorological Department (IMD ), VK Soni, said, “The air quality is likely to be recorded in the upper end of the ‘very poor’ category on Diwali if we discount firecrackers emissions. If people burst crackers, pollution levels can increase to ‘severe’ to ‘severe plus’ category (emergency).” Not just AQI but fine particle Particulate Matters (PM) 10 was also recorded under severe plus category with 586 microgram per Cubic. The NGT directed all States/UTs to initiate drives to contain air pollution from all sources in view of potential of aggravation of Covid-19. “The cities/towns where air quality is ‘moderate’ or below, only green crackers be sold, and the timings for use and bursting of crackers be restricted to two hours during festivals like Diwali, Chhath, New Year/Christmas Eve etc., as may be specified by the state concerned,” it said. At other places, ban/restrictions are optional for the authorities but if there are more stringent measures under orders of the authorities, the same will prevail, said a Bench headed by NGT chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel. The neighbouring cities of Faridabad, Ghaziabad, Noida, Greater Noida, and Gurugram also recorded “severe” air quality. PM10 levels in Delhi-NCR stood at 591 microgram per cubic meter (µg/m3) at 10 am, the highest since November 15 last year, when it was 637 µg/m3, according to Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data. PM10 levels below 100 µg/m3 are considered safe in India.PM10 is particulate matter with a diameter of 10 micrometers and is inhalable into the lungs. These particles include dust, pollen and mold spores. The levels of PM2.5 - finer particles that can even enter the bloodstream - were 381 µg/m3 at 11 am. PM2.5 levels up to 60 µg/m3 are considered safe. According to the IMD, the wind speed was 3 to 4 kilometres per hour in the morning and the minimum temperature of 10 degrees Celsius. Calm winds and low temperatures trap pollutants close to the ground, while favourable wind speed helps in their dispersion. There was shallow to moderate fog in the morning which led to smog. It reduced visibility to 600 meters at the Safdarjung Observatory, Kuldeep Srivastava, said the head of the IMD’s regional forecasting centre.