UP Govt bans firecrackers in NCR cities witnessing poor pollution level

Pollution levels in some cities are rising gradually

 On Friday, the Uttar Pradesh Government banned the sale and use of firecrackers in the National Capital Region (NCR) and the nearby areas witnessing poor pollution levels.

According to an order issued by the UP Home Department, it said the use of green firecrackers will be allowed in the areas where the air quality will be moderate and better.  Adding more the order said, "Restrict use of firecrackers in the cities where air quality is moderate or below to green crackers only for not more than two hours. During Christmas and new year, green crackers can be used between 11:55 pm to 12:30 am only." Said the order.

As per Avinash Kumar Awasthi, the Additional chief secretary, said a detailed guideline regarding the sale and use of firecrackers have been issued to all the district and police administration of the state.

Knowing about the cities under the moderate category are Noida, Ghaziabad, Hapur, Lucknow, Kanpur, Agra, Sonbhadra, Varanasi, Firozabad, Jhansi, Khujra, Prayagraj, Meerut, Moradabad,  Bareilly,  Mathura, Saharanpur, Gorakhpur, Unnao, Muzaffarnagar, Baghpat, Bulandshahr, Aligarh and Ayodha. 

Meanwhile, Not only Uttar Pradesh, many nearby states are witnessing a problem due to increasing pollution levels. Stubble burning is the major reason behind the poor air quality. Also, poor air quality leads to a suffocating environment with numerous health issues and severe illnesses.  With the upcoming Diwali festival, the usage of firecrackers will hamper the environment,  for which the decisions have been taken to minimise the pollution level and also to take precautions as public safety.