Delhi seeks total ban on crackers across NCR region

The Delhi government has urged the Union environment ministry to put a blanket ban on firecracker burning and the movement of diesel buses throughout the National Capital Region during a joint meeting of states with the Centre on Friday.

Gopal Rai, the environment minister for Delhi, informed reporters that Bhupender Yadav, the union environment minister, met with the environment ministers for Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan. Delhi made various recommendations at this meeting to reduce pollution throughout the whole NCR region, he said.

"We held a joint meeting with environment department today to curb industrial pollution in Delhi and have decided that to carry out an anti-industrial campaign from October 20 to November 20," said Delhi minister Gopal Rai.

VIDEO | " We held a joint meeting with environment department today to curb industrial pollution in Delhi and have decided that to carry out an anti-industrial campaign from October 20 to November 20," says Delhi minister @AapKaGopalRai. pic.twitter.com/ubV5NfYcRX

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) October 18, 2023

Before this, Rai had requested to convene a meeting of all NCR state to collaborate and develop a plan to combat the pollution.

Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai writes a letter to the Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav asking for a joint meeting with the environment ministers of NCR states amid rising pollution in Delhi pic.twitter.com/NoPS6hTbUR

— ANI (@ANI) October 17, 2023

Meanwhile, Delhi had last month announced a comprehensive ban on the manufacturing, storage, sale and use of firecrackers within the capital city.

Apart from this, Kejriwal government also introduced a 15-point action plan to mitigate air pollution in the capital during the winter season, focusing on addressing dust pollution, vehicular emissions, and open burning of garbage.