Firecrackers entered Delhi from UP and Haryana, claims minister Gopal Rai

New Delhi: Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai on Monday alleged that despite a ban firecrackers were smuggled into the city from the neighbouring states of Uttar Pradesh and Haryana under the nose of the police.

Addressing a press conference, Rai said that a prohibition is in place on the manufacturing, storage, and sale of firecrackers in Delhi. “The sourced firecrackers entered Delhi from Uttar Pradesh and Haryana. The Delhi, Haryana, and UP police are all under BJP control, and it is not possible for ordinary citizens to supply firecrackers amid their monitoring. Specific people are responsible for this activity,” said Rai.

He said that the anti-pollution measures outlined in GRAP 4 regulations will remain in force in the national capital until further notice from the CAQM (Commission for Air Quality Management).

This decision follows a pollution review meeting with officials. Rai emphasised the continuation of restrictions on BS-III petrol vehicles and BS-IV diesel vehicles.

He added that entry into Delhi would be prohibited for all trucks, excluding those transporting essential goods, connected to essential services, or running on CNG and electricity.

Rai reiterated his appeal to the governments of Uttar Pradesh and Haryana, urging them to deploy teams on the eastern and western peripheries to facilitate the redirection of buses and trucks onto alternative routes.

A dense and noxious haze or smog enveloped Delhi, Noida, Gurugram, and neighbouring areas on Monday morning. This followed the widespread bursting of crackers on Diwali night, in defiance of the Supreme Court's ban order.

It exacerbated the already critical air quality in the National Capital Region.

The Anand Vihar station was in the 'severe' category with PM 10 at 500 and PM 2.5 at 473 while the CO was at 131, under 'moderate' category, as per the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) at 10 a.m.

At the Bawana station PM 2.5 reached 469 in the 'severe' category and PM 10 at 376 was in the ‘very poor’ category, while the CO reached 78 in 'satisfactory' levels and NO2 at 12, in the 'good' category.

At the Dwarka sector-8 station, the PM 2.5 reached 444 in the 'severe' category while PM 10 was at 360 under the ‘very poor' category on Monday morning.

The air quality at the Indira Gandhi International Airport T3 area was in the 'severe' category with PM 2.5 at 431 and PM 10 at 295, in the 'poor' category.