As the people in the national capital celebrated Diwali on Sunday, Delhi Fire Services received over 200 fire incident-related calls. Amid the issue of air pollution in the city, people were seen violating the ban on firecrackers in several areas on Sunday. This comes after the Supreme Court said on November 7 that its order banning firecrackers containing barium binds every state and is not just limited to the Delhi-NCR region.
People gathered in large numbers to burst crackers and celebrate Diwali. People were seen gathering at the park and bursting firecrackers in the Shahpur Jat and Hauz Khas areas, as reported by the news agency PTI. The intensity of bursting firecrackers increased after 4 pm, but it was comparatively lesser than last year. Not many people were seen venturing out of their houses in and around the locality, except a few.
On fire-related calls on Diwali in Delhi, Atul Garg, Director, Delhi Fire Services said, "No casualty was reported in any fire incident on this Diwali. A total of 208 fire-related calls including 22 firecrackers-related calls were received yesterday. Only one major incident of fire was reported from Deputyganj in Sadar Bazaar where 24 fire tenders were rushed."
Speaking to PTI, environmentalist Bhavreen Kandhari said that the bursting of firecrackers was reported at her residential area, Defence Colony, too. She stated that complaints were also registered at the Defence Colony police station, but no change was noticed.
"The Supreme Court's firm stance on firecrackers got blown away in the smoke of the firecrackers. Despite warnings and a complete ban, implementing authorities have failed yet again. Wondering what stance will the Supreme Court take now? ...We are allowing our children to choke in the name of celebration," she said, as quoted by PTI.
However, the firecrackers being burst this year was reportedly negligible when compared to the last year, according to residents in these localities.