Flouting cracker ban can land you in prison: Minister
NEW DELHI : Delhi environment minister Gopal Rai on Wednesday said the state government was prepared to enforce the ban on firecrackers across the Capital this Diwali, adding that teams have been set up to keep a tab on violators.
He warned that purchasing and bursting of firecrackers in the Capital is punishable with a ₹200 fine and six months of jail time, while those involved in manufacturing, storing and selling firecrackers in the city could be fined up to ₹5,000 and be jailed for three years.
“The Delhi Police has formed 210 teams. All the teams will be headed by an officer of the ACP (assistant commissioner of police) rank. The revenue department, meanwhile, has formed 165 teams and there are 33 teams under the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC). All those who violate the ban by selling, manufacturing or storing it (firecrackers) will have to pay a fine of ₹5,000 and be imprisoned for three years as per Section 9(b) of the Explosive Act. Similarly, those who purchase and burn the crackers illegally, they will be prosecuted under Section 268 of IPC, which stipulates a fine of ₹200 and imprisonment for six months,” Rai said.
Fewer farm fires till Oct 15
Union environment minister Bhupender Yadav, Union agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar, and Union minister for animal husbandry Parshottam Rupala co-chaired an interministerial meeting to review the implementation of measures to curb paddy stubble burning in Punjab and Haryana on Wednesday.
Officials from the agriculture ministry said that, till October 15, stubble fires were fewer compared to last year — understandable, given rains in early September — but that now their number has now started growing rapidly, especially in Punjab.
Till October 16, Punjab recorded a total of 1,444 fires. In three days, this number has gone up to 2,625.
Tomar said paddy stubble management in Haryana has been significantly better than in Punjab thus far this year. Around nine out of 22 districts in Punjab and 4 out of 22 district in Haryana are major contributors of stubble burning in these states.
Officials from the power ministry said the ministry has mandated 5% blending of biomass pellets with the coal for use in Thermal Power Plants.
The co-firing also helps to prevent CO2 emissions.
Punjab saw 71,304 farm fires in 2021 during the harvest season.
“We are doing our best to stop stubble fires. Punjab seeks larger support from the Centre apart from the subsidised machines for the in-situ management of residue,” said Punjab agriculture minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal.
The meeting was also attended by senior officers of the ministry of agriculture and farmers welfare, ministry of environment forest and climate change, Commission for Air Quality Management, chief secretaries and officers from Haryana, Delhi, Rajasthan, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh, and officials from National Thermal Power Corporation.