New Delhi: As the capital records a sharp rise in air pollution levels and incessant spike in Covid-19 cases, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal announced that the government has decided to ban firecrackers as the festival of Diwali approaches. According to a government statement, the ban will also cover green crackers.
“In the wake of the rising pollution and coronavirus cases in Delhi due to the festival season, the Delhi government has decided to put a complete ban on the sale, purchase, and use of firecrackers in the city from November 7 to November 30,” the statement said.
Delhi is currently witnessing a deterioration in the levels of air pollution due to unfavorable weather conditions and a rise in farm fires in neighboring states of Punjab and Haryana. On Friday morning, Delhi’s air quality was in the ‘Severe’ category. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) said that the Air Quality Index at ITO was 448.
The national capital has recorded a spike in COVID-19 cases in the past few days with the number of daily infections crossing the 6,000-mark on Tuesday and Wednesday.