New Delhi, Sep 9 (PTI) The BJP slammed the Kejriwal government on the cracker ban order to check air pollution and claimed that it was an “eyewash” and was not accepted by the people.
The Delhi government on Monday banned the production, sale and use of firecrackers in the national capital to control air pollution in the coming winter season.
Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai said that the ban is necessary to mitigate the seasonal surge in air pollution, which is worsened by firecrackers.
The BJP said instead of a complete ban, the government should have encouraged the use of green crackers and not the use of traditional ones that cause more pollution.
“Experience of past years tells that crackers ban is not accepted by the people of Delhi and crackers are widely burnt so instead of a total ban the government should have shown sensitivity to encourage the use of green crackers,” Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva said in a statement.
The fight against pollution is important and stern steps are needed to be taken but, surprisingly, the Kejriwal government is taking the “same old eyewash step” to ban crackers while the main source of pollution during winter is crop residue burning in the AAP ruled Punjab, Sachdeva claimed.
South Delhi BJP MP Ramvir Singh Bidhuri said the Delhi government should take concrete steps to control pollution.
“Instead of banning firecrackers on Diwali, the Delhi government should take concrete steps to control pollution. Without controlling stubble burning and dust pollution, the people of Delhi cannot get relief,” he said.
Every year, the joy and enthusiasm of Hindus on Diwali is “destroyed” by banning firecrackers on Diwali, he said and added at least green firecrackers should be allowed. Bidhuri further said that there is no scientific study to support that bursting firecrackers on Diwali causes pollution, he claimed.
Apart from checking stubble burning, the biggest need at this time is to repair the roads of Delhi, Bidhuri said.
The monsoon season is about to end and the condition of Delhi’s roads has worsened. Experts believe that due to the lack of repair of roads, PM 2.5 and PM 10 has risen i.e. fine and coarse dust particles spread in the atmosphere, he added. PTI SHB VIT HIG
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