In a notification, the Haryana government on Sunday, 31 October, stated that it has banned the sale and use of firecrackers in 14 districts near Delhi, days before the festival of Diwali. Online shopping sites are also not permitted to make any such sales.
The sale and use of crackers are banned in Bhiwani, Charkhi Dadri, Faridabad, Gurugram, Jhajjar, Jind, Karnal, Mahendragarh, Nuh, Palwal, Panipat, Rewari, Rohtak, and Sonipat.
The state government further stated how bursting crackers have an adverse impact on the respiratory health of vulnerable groups and can aggravate the health condition of the people who are COVID-19-positive and in home isolation. It also provided the rulings of the National Green Tribunal and the Supreme Court as reasons for its decision.
The order will also apply to places with poor and above categories of ambient air quality during November according to last year’s data. Green crackers will be permitted in cities with moderate or below air quality.
The government also stated that only green crackers are permitted for marriages and other occasions.
The timings for bursting crackers in areas with moderate or below air quality have been specified in the government order. For Diwali and any other festivals, the timings will strictly be between 8 and 10 pm. For Chhatt, it will be between 6 to 8 am. For occasions like Christmas and New Year’s Eve, when fireworks start around midnight, the timings will be from 11:55 pm to 12:30 am.
The government encouraged people to burst crackers in groups to minimise the impact in areas that allow bursting crackers. It further added that authorities will publicise areas where people could burst crackers in groups to make people aware.
(With inputs from NDTV)
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