Assam Govt says "no" to NGT order banning firecrackers on Diwali

Guwahati: The Assam Government has rejected the order of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) to ban firecrackers in Diwali amid the coronavirus pandemic to control the pollution level.

A bench headed by the chairperson of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel on Wednesday sent notices to 18 states and union territories including Assam, Nagaland, and Meghalaya to expand the scope of hearing cases on pollution by firecrackers during Diwali. The bench also observed that Rajasthan and Odisha have already issued a notification to ban the sale and use of firecrackers this year.

Following the order, the Delhi Government, Sikkim and other states have banned firecrackers in Diwali. However, the Assam government on Friday said that they cannot ban firecrackers on Diwali.

Also Read: Defying NGT guidelines, Assam Environment Minister says bursting firecrackers “won’t harm anything”

Speaking about the proposed ban on firecrackers, Assam Forest Minister Parimal Suklabaidya said, “Bursting of firecrackers would not harm anything. We cannot ban firecrackers during Diwali. People can burst firecrackers which cannot affect the environment but bursting of firecrackers polluting the environment will not be allowed.”

Suklabaidya’s comments have come against the bacdrop of rising apprehensions about firecrackers due to the high number of COVID-19 cases in the country.

New Delhi, which perennially witnesses toxic smog in days after Diwali, is also facing Covid-19 this time. Amid a massive surge in fresh daily infections in recent days, including record highs, chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday announced a ban on the use of all firecrackers till November 30.

Additionally, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Odisha, and Rajasthan have also banned firecrackers.

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