Delhi pollution: Police asks e-commerce platforms to stop sale of firecrackers

The Delhi Police directed social media and ecommerce platforms to immediately cease the online sale and delivery of firecrackers within the National Capital Territory NCT amid rising Delhi air pollution reported news agency ANIAccording to an official statement issued on Wednesday the directive comes in a bid to protect the health and wellbeing of citizens directly due to increasing pollution and to prevent the sale of firecrackers through ecommerce platformsAs a crucial step in protecting the health and wellbeing of citizens getting directly affected due to increasing pollution and to prevent sale of firecrackers through ecommerce platforms providing delivery options to addresses within NCT of Delhi eCommerce WebsitesSocial Media Platforms have been directed in writing through an email yesterday dated 19112024 Delhi police said in its statement on the Delhi air pollution reported ANIPlatforms have been instructed to remove firecracker listings disable services for customers in Delhi implement locationbased restrictions to block sales and deliveries within the city publish notices informing users about the prohibition in compliance with legal orders and ensure delivery partners do not accept transport or deliver firecrackerrelated consignments during the ban period reported ANIThe platforms have also been requested to provide written confirmation of their complianceThe Delhi Police underlined that the steps are crucial to addressing the critical issue of air pollution and protecting public health The directive is expected to ensure strict enforcement of the ban and prevent violations through digital platformsThe action comes in compliance with the Supreme Courts recent order dated November 11 in the case of MC Mehta vs Union of India amp Ors which directed the implementation of a ban on firecrackers to combat rising air pollution levelsThe Delhi Pollution Control Committee DPCC and the Environment Department of the Delhi Government had earlier imposed a blanket ban on the manufacture storage and bursting of all categories of firecrackers in the city from October 14 to January 1 2025 According to Delhi Police this latest initiative is with the aim to curb online sales which undermine the effectiveness of the ban reported ANIThe Air Quality Index in the national capital was recorded at 379 on Thursday morning as per the data issued by the Central Pollution Control Board CPCB This falls in the very poor category Delhi has been grappling with severe to severe plus levels of air pollution for the last few daysWith inputs from ANI