Delhi govt bans firecrackers on Diwali

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Bursting of firecrackers on Diwali in Delhi will attract jail term up to six months and a fine of Rs 200, Environment Minister Gopal Rai said on Wednesday.

Addressing a press conference, he said production, storage and sale of firecrackers in the capital will be punishable with a fine of up to Rs 5,000 and three years in jail under Section 9B of the Explosives Act.

In September, the city government re-imposed a complete ban on the production, sale and use of all types of firecrackers till January 1, including on Diwali, a practice it has been following for the last two years.

Rai said a public awareness campaign, "Diye Jalao Patakhe Nahi", will be launched on October 21.

The Delhi government will light 51,000 diyas at Central Park in Connaught Place on Friday.

"The purchase and bursting of firecrackers in Delhi will be punishable with a fine of Rs 200 and six months in jail under the Indian Penal Code," the minister said.

Rai said 408 teams have been set up to implement the ban. The Delhi Police has set up 210 teams under assistant commissioners of police, while the Revenue Department has set up 165 teams and the Delhi Pollution Control Committee has constituted 33 teams.

The minister said 188 cases of violations have been detected and 2,917 kg firecrackers seized till October 16.

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