The ban on fire crackers is welcome

The Delhi government on Thursday imposed a complete ban on the sale and bursting of all fire crackers, including green crackers, from November 7 to 30, after chief minister Arvind Kejriwal reviewed the worsening air pollution and the Covid-19 situation in the city. After a meeting with senior officials, Mr Kejriwal said that Covid-19 cases have increased due to the festival season and air pollution. On Thursday, Delhi woke up to severe air pollution, with the air quality index (AQI) touching 452. AQI between 401 and 500 is considered to be severe, which can impact healthy people and seriously affect those with existing health conditions. On November 4, the National Green Tribunal had exhorted the Union and Delhi governments to take a similar step.

The Delhi government’s move is welcome because the air pollution situation in the coming days is expected to worsen. The smog-like conditions have developed because of air pollution, low wind speed and cold air subsidence, and the situation is unlikely to change. The wind speed will remain low in the coming days; the crop residue burning is due to peak, according to an analysis (2017-2020) by Climate Trends, and Diwali is on November 14.

While wind speed and the city’s location cannot be controlled, and cracking down on farm fires depends on how well the monitoring system performs, Diwali-related pollution can be tackled if there is both government action, and more importantly, public will. And by taking this bold step, the government has shown that it means business. Now the public must support the decision unreservedly.