(a) whether the Government proposes a completeban on firecrackers across the country;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether the Government has evaluated theadverse effects of firecrackers on the environment; and
(d) if so, the details thereof?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
(SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)
(a) and (b) There is no proposal from the Government regarding complete ban on firecrackers across the country.
The Hon’ble Supreme Court of India, vide Order dated 23.10.2018had banned the production and sale of crackers other than Reduced Emission firecrackers (with 20–30% reduction in pollution).
The Graded Response Action Plan, as notified by Ministry of Environment, Forests & Climate Change vide S.O. 118 (E) dated January 12, 2017 has a provision to strictly enforce the Supreme Court’s ban on firecrackers when Air Quality Index (AQI) is in Moderate to poor category (ambient PM2.5 or PM10 concentration value is between 61-120 µg/m3 or 101-350 µg/m3 respectively) in National Capital Region.
In addition, Hon’ble National Green Tribunal vide Orders dated 09.11.2020 and 01.12.2020 had directed the following:
1. “There will be total ban against sale or use of all kinds of fire crackers in the NCR from midnight of November, 9 -10, 2020 to the midnight of November 30 - December 1, 2020, to be reviewed thereafter.” (also applicable to all cities/towns in the country where the average of ambient air quality during November (as per available data of last year) fall under ''poor'' and above category.)
2. “There will be total ban on sale and use of all kinds of fire crackers during Covid-19 pandemic in the NCR and all cities/towns in the country where the ambient air quality falls under the ‘poor’ and above category.”
3. “During Christmas and New Year, green crackers can be used from 11:55 pm to 12:30 am only at places where air quality is ‘moderate’ or below as directed by the Hon’ble Supreme Court.”
(c) and (d) Central Pollution Control Board carries ambient air quality monitoring on selected pre-Deepawali days and on Deepawali days since past few years. Air quality (both manual and Real time) on Pre-Deepawali day (09.11.2020) and Deepawali day (14.11.2020) are monitored in the year 2020.
The city level average for PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations on Deepawali day (14.11.2020) were 645 µg/m3 and 483 µg/m3 respectively. City-wise increase/decrease in PM10 and PM2.5 on Diwali day is tabulated below:
City-wise increase in PM10 and PM2.5 on Diwali day compared to Pre-Diwali period (in %)
Agra Delhi Kolkata Bengaluru Bhopal Lucknow Vadodara Shillong
PM10 -41.5 67.1 22.6 -24.8 86.2 114.0 -10.0 53.7
PM2.5 -34.8 82.9 53.6 -41.4 81.3 67.6 26.0 30.5
SO2 was found always within the prescribed 24 hourly NAAQS (80µg/m3) throughout the monitoring period including Diwali day. Increase in SO2 concentration on Diwali day at cities like Delhi, Lucknow, Bhopal and Vadodara are evident and may be attributed to oxidation of sulphur due to bursting of cracker. NO2 was reported within prescribed 24 hourly NAAQS (80µg/m3) in all the cities except Delhi during Pre-Diwali, Diwali and post Diwali days. During Pre Diwali period and on Diwali day NO2 was found to above NAAQS in Delhi. Delhi, Bhopal, Lucknow and Bengaluru reported increase in NO2 on Diwali day compared to Pre-Diwali period.
*****