The Delhi Police have seized over 2,500kg of banned firecrackers from West Delhi, North Delhi, East Delhi and South Delhi respectively and arrested 15 people, following the Supreme Court's order that allowed the sale and use of only "green" and "low emission" firecrackers in Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR).
According to police, 1688kg of firecrackers were seized from West Delhi, 660kg seized from North Delhi, 150kg from East Delhi and 10kg from South Delhi.
A total of 18 cases have been registered, the police said.
These seizures have been made from November 1 till yesterday night.
On Saturday, the Delhi police arrested a person for allegedly possessing firecrackers and explosive items weighing 625 kg without any license.
The accused, Ravinder, a resident of South Ganesh Nagar in Laxmi Nagar area, was arrested for stocking old firecrackers and explosive items in his shop located in the Sadar Bazaar area of the national capital, despite a Supreme Court ban on selling and burning of old stock.
The raid was conducted under the directions of Delhi Police Head Constable Sandeep Chawla.
A first information report (FIR) was registered against the accused, and a case under Section 286 of Indian Penal Code, 1860 and section 9B of The Explosives Act 1884 has been filed.
The police have promised to continue further investigation into the matter in order to trace the source of the recovered firecrackers and explosive items.
Apart from the above seizure, 11.1 kg firecrackers were seized in Sabzi Mandi area and 7.9 kg from Burari area.
The Supreme Court on October 23 had stated in its guidelines that only firecrackers with reduced emission (improved crackers) and green crackers and Safe Water and Air Sprinklers (SWAS) would be sold and manufactured.
The manufacture, sale, and use of joined crackers (series crackers or laris), the court said, were banned as they equally contribute to the air, noise and solid waste pollution. It added that those crackers which have already been produced and do not fulfill the permissible conditions would not be sold in Delhi and NCR.
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