Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai has launched an anti-cracker campaign of the Delhi government ahead of Diwali due to the rising pollution levels in Delhi NCR.

As part of the campaign, Rai visited the Sadar Bazar area in Delhi to inspect the sale of crackers.

Under the campaign:

-All SDMs and police officers, and 11 teams of the Delhi Pollution Control Committee have been directed to ensure there is no bursting of polluting crackers in the capital.

-The teams will ensure effective implementation on the ground, checking that the crackers sold must have a ‘Green Cracker’ logo on them.

-Checking hat the crackers sold in the shops are from authorised companies.

He also appealed to Delhiites to use green crackers and not the polluting kind.

“As per the directions of the Supreme Court, polluting crackers have been banned in Delhi and only pollution-free green crackers have been allowed this year. From today, an anti-cracker campaign has been launched in Delhi. All the SDMs, 11 teams of the DPCC and all police officials have been directed to ensure there is no bursting of polluting crackers across Delhi,” Rai said.

Due to this, crackers which cause pollution have been banned and we are promoting the use of only green crackers this year, the Minister said.

“I want to appeal to the people of Delhi, this is the time when we are witnessing Covid and pollution at the same time, please do not burn crackers. I also want to appeal to them to only use green crackers and keep the crackers away from children, women, elderly and people with co-morbidities,” Rai added.