6 months jail for bursting firecrackers on Diwali, announces Delhi Environment Minister

Bursting of firecrackers on Diwali in Delhi will attract a jail term of up to six months and a fine of Rs 200, Environment Minister Gopal Rai said on Wednesday.He added that the manufacture, storage and sale of firecrackers in violation of the ban that is already in place in Delhi will be punished under Section 9B of the Explosives Act.The Explosives Act has provisions for imprisonment that may extend up to three years or a fine of up to Rs 5,000 or both.

The Delhi Police, the Revenue Department and the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) have constituted a total of 408 teams to enforce the firecracker ban, said officials.Rai said: “This year too there is a ban on the manufacture, sale, storage and bursting of firecrackers. There is also a ban on online delivery of firecrackers.” He added, “Pollution is also caused due to the bursting of firecrackers in NCR areas. I would like to request the Union environment minister to implement a ban on bursting firecrackers even in NCR.”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 (light diyas, not firecrackers) - will be launched on October 21.The Delhi government will light 51,000 diyas at Central Park in Connaught Place on Friday.