DELHI CHOKES AFTER DIWALI DESPITE THE BAN ON CRACKERS

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Delhi has now rightly attained the notorious image as one of the most polluted cities in the world especially during the winter season. This season starts with Diwali which is one of the most celebrated and popular Hindu festival in the country. The festival is marked by lighting of earthen diyas and burning of crackers which does not help the situation of rising pollution in the city. The city basically becomes a toxic gas-chamber by the time festivities die down. In order to fight with rising problem the Supreme Court in 2017 put an immediate ban on the sale of conventional crackers in the city of Delhi and NCR[1].  Also in 2018 the Supreme Court ruled that only Government approved ‘Green crackers’ with fewer emissions shall be allowed.
Even after such ban, the pollution level in Delhi along with that of NCR has reached to such critical level that we are basically living in situation of health emergency. After Diwali the AQI (Air Quality Index) dived to the level of ‘very poor’ and ‘hazardous’ categories[2]. It could be seen that despite the ban the people were incessantly burning the conventional crackers. One of the reasons for obvious disregard for the ban was the unavailability of the Green crackers promised by the government agencies. The Government had promised that green crackers which emit thirty percent less emissions will be available to both help control the pollution as well as take care of sentiments of the people in general[3]. But what was noticed was that these green crackers were not available widely, also wherever they were available they were available in very limited varieties and were highly priced which discouraged the people from buying them. The problem of pollution in Delhi and NCR is also aggravated by the fact of stubble burning in neighboring states.
There is smog everywhere in the city with very low visibility. The outdoors feels like one is standing somewhere near a fire and the air causes irritation to the eyes. The hazardous category of air quality is capable of causing some serious harm to the health of the people by causing serious aggravation of heart or the lung disease and can also be cause of premature mortality in those who are suffering from cardiopulmonary disease especially amongst the elderly and the children[4]. Such air quality would also affect the general population and might pose a risk of mass respiratory problems.
All the stakeholders whether that is the government, the polluters, the citizens etc need to understand that the need of the hour calls for immediate and collective action. Everyone will have to actively take part and be conscious of the role that they are playing in making the city one of the worst places to be in. the Government need to be more stringent in the banning of the cracker sale and burning. Additionally they need to be more prepared and provide for suitable alternatives to the public in the form of green crackers. The problem of stubble burning also needs to be addressed wherein the leaders of the different areas should come together and reach to an amicable solution posthaste. And lastly, the responsibility falls on every individual member to be aware of what simple burning of a sparkler or a sky-rocket can and is doing to the environment as a whole and what actions should they take on their own level to help Delhi breathe.


[1] Krishnadas Rajagopal, “SC brings back ban on firecrackers in Delhi-NCR region”, The Hindu, Oct. 9, 2017, Available at https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/sc-brings-back-ban-on-firecrackers-in-delhi-ncr/article19827384.ece
[2] Abhishek Anand, “Crackers leave Delhi gasping on Diwali”, India Today, Oct. 29, 2019, Available at https://www.indiatoday.in/mail-today/story/illegal-firecrackers-diwali-leaves-delhi-gasping-1613548-2019-10-29
[3] Nayanika Singhal, “Delhi set to choke on toxic crackers”, India Today, Oct. 8, 2019, Available at https://www.indiatoday.in/mail-today/story/delhi-set-to-choke-on-toxic-crackers-1607100-2019-10-08
[4] “After Diwali pollution spike, Delhi’s air quality improves”, India Today, Oct. 29, 2019, Available at https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/after-diwali-pollution-spike-delhi-air-quality-improves-1613738-2019-10-29

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