The national capital is witnessing a dip in its Air Quality Index (AQI) with each passing day. Air pollution is only likely to increase furthermore as people will burn firecrackers on Diwali. According to a survey report by LocalCircles, 2 out of every 5 families is planning to burn firecrackers. Over 10,000 respondents took part in the survey, out of which 10% indicated they will burn crackers and have already got them from Delhi.
Plans to burn firecrackers remain prevalent in the city despite a ban on its sale in the national capital. Despite these, a threat to further worsen Delhi’s air quality looms large. In the survey, 69% respondents were men while 31% were women. Residents across all districts of Delhi, Ghaziabad, Noida, Gurugram and Faridabad participated in the survey.
Supreme Court turns down plea challenging ban on firecrackers
Bursting crackers has been a common sight around Diwali, which is why several people were left disappointed with a blanket ban on its sale in Delhi. However, the Supreme Court on Thursday turned down a plea challenging the ban, in light of rising air pollution levels in the city. SC advised people to instead “spend your money on sweets”, a PTI report said.
Meanwhile, a plea challenging Delhi Pollution Control Committee’s (DPCC) complete ban on sale and use of all kinds of firecrackers was turned down by the Delhi High Court.
LocalCircles Survey results
Not only did 10% of respondents who participated in LocalCircles’ survey said they would burn crackers, another 20% claimed that they have procured firecrackers from the NCR region. Another 9% respondents have not bought crackers, but are planning on doing so.
Out of all respondents, 61% stood by the ban on crackers, and said they won’t burst them. At an aggregate level, 39% families were surveyed in Delhi.
The survey results when compared over time indicate that percentage of families burning crackers this year is likely to be the highest in the 5-year period since 2018.
AQI touches 600 mark of hazardous air quality in Delhi
Central Pollution Control Board’s 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI) on Saturday showed that parts of Delhi touched the 600 level of hazardous. Notably, an AQI between zero and 50 is considered good, 51 and 100 satisfactory, 101 and 200 moderate, 201 and 300 poor, 301 and 400 very poor, 401 and 500 severe and over 500 as hazardous.
A ban has been imposed on sale of firecrackers in Delhi, and a violation would be deemed a punishable offence attracting a fine of up to INR 5,000 and three years in jail, a PTI report said on Saturday. The ban on sale of fire crackers is limited to Delhi though and reports from nearby NCR cities of Noida, Ghaziabad, Gurugram and Faridabad where either sale of all crackers or green crackers is permitted reveal strong demand on the sale of these items.
(With PTI Inputs)
Read all the Latest India News here
Comments
0 comment