India bans firecrackers in capital city ahead of Hindu festival Diwali
The ban will remain in force until Jan. 1, 2023 due to concerns about possible air pollution in the city.
NEW DELHI: India announced Wednesday the banning of the storage, sale and use of firecrackers in the capital city of New Delhi ahead of the Hindu festival Diwali, a local government official said.
The ban will remain in force until Jan. 1, 2023 due to concerns about possible air pollution in the city, Delhi’s environment minister Gopal Rai said in a statement posted on social media.
This is the third consecutive year that firecrackers have been banned in the capital region.
Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, will be celebrated next month. People in India usually set off firecrackers as part of their celebrations.
In the past several years, a thick blanket of smoke had engulfed the city and its outskirts immediately after Diwali night. The worsened air quality pushed air pollution levels to the “severe-plus emergency” category.
Delhi is among the most polluted cities in the world.
-Xinhua
