Madhya Pradesh: Firecrackers Banned In 3 Districts Owing To Poor AQI Ahead Of Diwali

While being permitted in rural regions, firecrackers are prohibited in urban areas of Madhya Pradesh.

New Delhi: Three districts in Madhya Pradesh, Gwalior, Singrauli, and Katni, have prohibited fireworks owing to the area's low air quality index (AQI).

Following the Pollution Control Board's (PCB) concerns, the MP Home Ministry and district collectors have issued a notice on the matter. The board had written to the state home ministry and collectors requesting that firecrackers not be used in areas with low AQI.

A notice from the Gwalior collector reads as follows: "The ban of firecrackers in its municipal corporation limits. Only green crackers are allowed to be burst between 8 pm and 10 pm in the district outside the municipal corporation limits", news agency ANI reported.

However, as per the Home Ministry's directive, only those cities with an Air Quality Index (AQI) of medium or below are permitted to burst green firecrackers between the hours of 8 pm and 10 pm. The circular further stated, "There is a complete ban on firecrackers in cities having AQI in Poor and above category."

Executive Engineer and Public Relations Officer for the Madhya Pradesh Pollution Control Board, SD Valmiki, said: "According to the order of the NGT and the court, we have banned the sale of firecrackers to the districts where the air quality was poor in November 2021. A letter has been written to the local district collectors and the collector concerned has issued a circular from his level for the same."

In contrast to being permitted in rural regions, firecrackers are prohibited in urban areas. The worst air quality is seen at Gwalior, Katni, and Singrauli. It is legal to burst and sell green crackers in regions with moderate and satisfactory AQI. Bhopal, Indore, Jabalpur Neemuch, Dhar, Damoh, Sagar, Ujjain, Ratlam, Sehore, Raisen, Harda, Vidisha, Khargone, Hoshnagabad, and Mandsaur are among the moderate and satisfactory districts, according to Valmiki.

He said, "We have allowed green crackers only because the situation was fine last year. This year we are able to burst green crackers. It should not happen that next time even green crackers cannot be burst."

(With inputs from ANI)