Delhi police seize 11.5 quintals of firecrackers in Rohini; one man arrested

Delhi Police has confiscated 11.15 quintals of firecrackers from a warehouse in the Rohini area of the national capital. The Delhi Police informed on Friday that the seized crackers had both the green and non-green varieties. Amit Mittal, the warehouse owner, was arrested for stocking the firecrackers deemed illegal for sale during the Diwali season. The police arrested Amit Mittal on Thursday while he was unloading firecrackers at his rented warehouse. When approached by the police, he failed to provide any license or other legal document that could authorise the possession or storage of firecrackers.

Ahead of Diwali, the Delhi government has put a complete ban on the sale, use, and storage of firecrackers in the national capital. In September, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced that due to the deteriorating condition of Delhi's pollution during Diwali for the last three years, the government would implement a complete ban on the storage, sale, and use of all types of firecrackers. The Delhi government had also banned the use of firecrackers the previous year. Meanwhile, a case under section 286 of the Indian Penal Code and section 9B of the Explosives Act was registered at the Begumpur Police Station against the accused. Further investigation into the case is ongoing.

Delhi police not to issue temporary licences for firecrackers

Earlier this month, the Delhi Police announced that it will no longer issue any temporary licence for the storage and sale of firecrackers this festival season. They announced the decision after the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) imposed a “complete ban” on the sale and bursting of all kinds of firecrackers up to January 1, 2022, in the national capital.

The order was issued realising the possibility of the surge of COVID-19 in the city along with a severe Air Quality Index level, which could harm the health of the citizens of Delhi. Deputy Commissioner of Police (Licensing Unit) Guriqbal Singh Sindhu said, "For ensuring compliance of DPCC's order in letter and spirit, Delhi Police is not issuing any temporary license for the storage and sale of firecrackers this festive season." "Permanent firecracker licenses have already been suspended and license holders have been advised not to sell any kind of firecracker till January 1, 2022," he said.

(with ANI and PTI inputs)

Image: PTI