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Criticising the Aam Admi Party (AAP) government’s decision to impose a blanket ban on the production, sale, storage, and use of all types of firecrackers in the national capital, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) stated that the decision would “hurt people’s religious sentiments” and “cause significant economic losses.”
Ramvir Singh Bidhuri, BJP leader and the Opposition Leader in the Delhi Legislative Assembly, remarked that while restricting firecrackers contributing to pollution is warranted, permission should be granted for the use of green crackers.
“Diwali is not just a festival; it is deeply intertwined with the emotions of millions of Hindus,” Bidhuri added.
He also emphasised that “one-sided bans not only hurt people’s religious sentiments but also cause significant economic losses as commercial activities related to Diwali come to a halt.”
Another BJP leader, Kapil Mishra, also voiced his opposition to the move, asserting that it has been proven in court and by scientists that “firecrackers are not the source of pollution.” He questioned why the ban on firecrackers is limited to Diwali when the Kejriwal government has failed to address pollution in Delhi effectively. Mishra stated, “People will not follow the ban on Diwali firecrackers,” in a message posted on X.
On Monday, in an effort to combat winter pollution, Delhi’s Environment Minister, Gopal Rai, announced a ban on the manufacture, storage, sale, and bursting of firecrackers in the city. This marks the third consecutive year that the AAP government has imposed such a ban in the run-up to the Diwali festival.
The minister explained that the decision to ban firecrackers was made in anticipation of higher pollution levels as winter approaches, which poses significant health risks, especially to children and the elderly. He also directed the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) to disseminate the necessary instructions to all relevant departments to enforce this ban effectively.
Firecracker sellers in dilemma
The firecracker producers and sellers in the city argue that the industry has already suffered significantly due to these unilateral bans.
Sana Jain, a wholesaler of firecrackers in East Delhi, stated, “For three consecutive years, many shopkeepers have had to close their businesses, and there has been no scientific study so far proving that pollution increases due to crackers during Diwali. With the Supreme Court’s direction, we can sell green crackers but are waiting for clarity from the government.”
Though the Supreme Court had allowed the sale of only green crackers, DPCC enforced a full firecracker ban in 2021 and 2022, and the same action is set for this year, the minister said.
The government will soon launch an awareness campaign against firecrackers in the city.
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