As Delhi woke up to a thick layer of smog on Diwali, a total of 377 teams of police and government officials have been deployed on the ground to ensure a blanket ban on the sale and purchase of firecrackers in the national capital. Police will also be deployed in civil uniform.
A senior police official told PTI that legal actions will be taken against those caught bursting crackers during the festival. On October 14, the Delhi government imposed a ban on the production, storage, sale and use of firecrackers across the city, effective till January 1.
Dehli recorded an Air Quality Index of 329, according to the data by the Central Pollution Control Board as of 7 am. An AQI reading between 0 and 50 is considered 'good', 51 to 100 is considered 'satisfactory', 101 to 200 is considered 'moderate', 201 to 300 is considered 'poor', 301 to 400 is considered 'very poor' and 401 to 500 is considered 'severe'.
The city has also been on a high alert since October 20 when a blast ripped through a wall of a CRPF school in Rohini. No one was injured in the blast but it damaged hoardings of nearby shops and window panes of parked vehicles.
Heavy Police Deployment In Chandni Chowk, Sarojini Nagar
Police will be deployed in markets which see considerable rush on Diwali such as Chandni Chowk, Sarojini Nagar, Lajpat Nagar, Greater Kailash, Azadpur and Ghazipur.
"Security arrangements have been made especially in markets, malls, vital installations and crowded places. Police visibility has been enhanced through intensified patrolling and deployments of extra pickets. All staff are on high alert to thwart any untoward incident," Deputy Commissioner of Police (East) Apoorva Gupta said.
North District DCP Raja Banthia said all preventive measures are being taken by police staff to ensure smooth festival celebrations. Police are also keeping an eye on the movements in border areas.
A tight vigil is being kept on each railway and metro station and additional force deployment has also been made to check any suspicious activities, another officer said. Patrolling teams consisting of the Railway Protection Force (RPF) and Government Railway Police (GRP) have been directed to immediately inform their seniors if they see any suspicious activities, the officer said.
"Anti-sabotage checks are being conducted regularly along the railway tracks, markets with the help of dog squads and bomb disposal teams," the person said.
"CCTV cameras are being continuously monitored by the teams and PCRs were asked to be ready for any situation," the officer added.
New Delhi DCP Devesh Kumar Mahla said the teams are fully prepared to deal with any kind of situation and have undergone many mock drills.