Step in right direction: Green bodies welcome SC ban on sale of firecrackers

Environmental bodies have welcomed the move to ban firecracker sales in Delhi and NCR but say more steps are required to ensure pollution levels are in safe limit.

Supreme Court has banned firecrackers' sales in Delhi and NCR till November 1. (Reuters Photo)

New Delhi: Supreme Court's ban on firecracker sales in Delhi and in the National Capital Region (NCR) till November 1 is being seen as a major victory in battle against pollution by environmental bodies. Burning firecrackers during Diwali has been seen as a major contributor in the city's toxic air, as per these green bodies.

Ahead of the festival on October 19, the Supreme Court ordered that ban on selling of firecrackers is required to study impact of such crackers on air pollution levels. Environmental agencies like The Energy and Resources Institute believe it is a step in the right direction. "This (decision) will play a crucial role in regulating air pollution in the region and reduce the impact on human health," said Ajay Mathur, Director General, TERI. "The ban will ensure that the levels of air pollutant do not reach as high a limit as they did last year around Diwali."

In 2016, pollution levels had spiked the morning after Diwali and the the toxic air prevailed for most parts of the season. While firecrackers may play a big role in pushing pollution levels up, there are also several other factors like vehicular emission, crop burning in Punjab and Haryana and prevailing weather conditions. "We welcome the decision of the Supreme Court. (But) There is though also need to address other emitting sources," said Sunil Dahiya, senior campaigner at Greenpeace.

Agencies like Greenpeace and TERI maintain that more - and time-bound - steps are required to ensure pollution levels do not reach alarming levels as has been witnessed in the last few years.

(With inputs from IANS)