Is Delhi ready to celebrate Diwali without a blast?

Ahead of the festivities, authorities have seized around 2,000 kilogrammes of firecrackers
Is Delhi ready to celebrate Diwali without a blast?
Streets are often found to be carpeted by the debris of crackers on the morning after Diwali. Photographs by Vikas Choudhary
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When it comes to the festive spirit, Delhiites are known for their larger than life celebrations and Diwali is no exception.

With a few days left for the festival of lights, authorities have begun a crackdown on the sales of fire crackers which send the air quality index skyrocketing much higher than the reach of a rocket cracker.

Is Delhi ready to celebrate Diwali without a blast?
Fire crackers are a relatively recent practice during Diwali. It is believed that it was the Punjabi and the Sindhi communities in India who popularised bursting fire crackers in India of the post-partition era.

It is reported that Delhi Police has seized around 2,000 kilogrammes of crackers from various locations in the national capital. Some of the illegal sellers were found hiding crackers in grocery items.

Officially, fire crackers are banned in Delhi following a Supreme Court mandate in 2017. Only eco-friendly or green crackers are allowed to be sold.

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