: Environmentalists welcomed the Supreme Court’s decision on Friday to temporarily ban the sale of firecrackers in the National Capital Region, but added that authorities still needed to come up with a comprehensive policy if air pollution was to be controlled.
The apex court ordered the suspension of licences to sell firecrackers and put a ban on issuing new ones. Coming in the middle of the wedding season, which is the only other period after Diwali when the use of firecrackers sky-rockets, the order was a good step, said experts.
'Air saturated'
“During winter, when air pollution hovers between very poor and severe categories, we cannot allow fireworks to be used. Right now, there is no space for firecrackers; the air is already saturated,” said Anumita Roychowdhury, the head of the Centre for Science and Environment’s air pollution and clean transport programme.
She added that while this was a welcome step, a ban on firecrackers must be linked to winter pollution. In other countries, the use of fireworks is banned if air pollution reaches a certain level.
Curbing use
“There is a need for a proper policy. For instance, there can be community-based firework displays to curb widespread use by individuals,” she said.
Others said a plan that looked at other sources was needed to bring down pollution.
“This is a good step, like odd-even was and shutting down of the Badarpur power plant was. However, a coordinated and comprehensive approach has been missing,” said Sunil Dahiya, a campaigner with Greenpeace India.
He said the impact of all the measures in terms of an overall decrease in pollution would be elusive till all the sectors that contributed to pollution were targeted at the same time. The lack of a regional approach to air pollution was also impeding improvement in air quality, he added.
L-G calls meeting
Meanwhile, Lieutenant-Governor Najeeb Jung on Friday chaired the third high-level meeting to discuss the condition of air pollution in Delhi. “The action taken by all agencies has resulted in an improved ambient air quality. They must keep up their efforts,” said Mr. Jung. .
