Citizens and leaders burst fire-crackers in national capital: Delhi engulfed in smog of pollution and war of words
Delhi was once again engulfed in a thick blanket of smog after the Diwali night after people of the Delhi and NCR continued to burst fire crackers on Sunday even after the blanket ban imposed by the Supreme Court. Kapil Mishra, a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader, announced that he was proud of the fact the people of the city did not heed the ban imposed by the Supreme Court and “bravely” defied the Supreme Court ruling. He did so while calling the ban unscientific and illogical.
“Proud of You Delhi. These are voices of resistance , voices of freedom and democracy. People are bravely defying unscientific, illogical , dictatorial ban. Happy Diwali,” Kapil Mishra posted on X (formerly Twitter).
In response to the bursting of fire crackers in the Delhi and NCR areas and the deteriorating air quality in the region due to air pollution, Trinamool Congress MP Saket Gokhale accused the BJP leaders and ministers of violating the ban in the heart of the city.
“Thanks Delhi (especially the BJP MPs & Ministers who live down the street) for the last 6 hours of non-stop fireworks. Don’t understand the point of a ‘ban’ when ruling party leaders themselves are violating it in the heart of the capital. AQI has hit 999 – machines can’t calculate beyond that,” he posted on X.
He further went on to address the Joint Connaught Place HQ of Delhi Police seeking details of the number of cases that had been filed for use of the banned firecrackers on Sunday and actions, if any, that had been taken.
“Delhi Police needs to answer immediately & own responsibility for us breathing in a gas chamber. This morning, Delhi has woken up to a hazardous level of pollution with an AQI of 999+ thanks to bursting of fireworks last night. Despite a ban by the Supreme Court, fireworks have been easily procured & used in the city. Last night, several BJP MPs & Ministers were bursting firecrackers in my neighborhood for hours at their ‘Diwali party’,” he posted on X while sharing a picture of the letter he wrote to the police.
However, according to the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR-India), the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) of the national capital, at 9.18pm on Diwali night, was recorded at 197 ‘moderate’. But the AQi touched 300 in several places in Delhi on Monday morning with PM2.5 and PM10 pollutant levels touching 500 at most places.
