Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday announced a complete ban on the storage, sale, and use of all types of firecrackers during Diwali this year.
The move was made keeping in view the dangerous condition of the national capital's air pollution, he said.
"In view of the dangerous condition of Delhi's pollution during Diwali for the last 3 years, like last year, a complete ban is being imposed on the storage, sale, and use of all types of firecrackers. So that people's lives can be saved," he tweeted.
"In view of the seriousness of pollution after the stocking of firecrackers by traders last year, a complete ban was imposed late, which caused losses to the traders. It is an appeal to all the traders that this time in view of the complete ban, do not do any kind of storage," he added.
Diwali will be celebrated in the first week of November this year.
In recent years, air pollution has risen in the winter months due to excessive use of firecrackers and the burning of stubble by farmers in neighbouring states, after which the state government had banned the use of firecrackers last year.
