Delhi govt extends complete ban on firecrackers till January 1, 2023

"An action plan will be developed in collaboration with the Delhi Police, the Delhi Pollution Control Committee, and the Revenue Department to ensure that the ban is strictly enforced," Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai tweeted.

The Delhi government has banned the use of firecrackers until January 1, 2023; Environment Minister Gopal Rai announced it on Wednesday, September 7.

According to Gopal Rai, firecrackers' production, storage, sale, and use will be prohibited until January 1, 2023. He also stated that the national capital's online sale or delivery of firecrackers would be prohibited this year. In addition, an action plan will be developed in collaboration with the Delhi Police, the Delhi Pollution Control Committee, and the Revenue Department to ensure that the ban is strictly enforced.

"To save people from the dangers of pollution in Delhi, like last year, the production, storage, sale, and use of all types of firecrackers are being completely banned, so that people's lives can be saved," Rai wrote in his official Twitter account.

"This time, there will be a ban on selling and delivering firecrackers online in Delhi." This restriction will be in effect until January 1, 2023. A plan of action will be developed in collaboration with the Delhi Police, the DPCC, and the Revenue Department to ensure that the ban is strictly enforced," he added.

Due to the city's severe pollution levels, the Delhi government banned the storage, sale, and use of firecrackers during Diwali last year, on September 15, 2021.

"Seeing the severe pollution levels in the national capital over the last three years during Diwali, a complete ban on storage, sale and use of all types of firecrackers is being imposed in Delhi this time, just like last year," CM Arvind Kejriwal said in a tweet.

The CM had also appealed to traders rather than stock crackers to avoid losses caused by the ban's late implementation in 2020.

From November 9 midnight to November 30 midnight, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) imposed a total ban on the sale or use of all types of firecrackers in the National Capital Region.