Cracker ban in Maharashtra? Shiv Sena minister pushes for cracker-free Diwali

The Shiv Sena is the minor partner in the coalition government of Maharashtra

Taking a cue from the Supreme Court order on banning crackers in Delhi-NCR, Maharashtra minister Ramdas Kadam has pushed for a similar move in Maharashtra. The Shiv Sena leader on Tuesday said that a request will be made to ban firecrackers in the state.

While environmentalists have been hailing the Supreme Court's order banning firecrackers to stop air quality deterioration in Delhi, firecrackers continue to be available in the region through online portals. Despite criticisms from various quarters to the order, Maharashtra minister for Environment and Shiv Sena leader Ramdas Kadam has pushed for 'clean Diwali'. "I will talk to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and request if we can also ban crackers in Maharashtra on the lines of Supreme Court's order for Delhi," the minister said.

Barely a month ago, the Maharashtra government had vehemently fought against the Bombay High Court's order banning loudspeakers during Ganpati festival. The 'Awaaz foundation' an NGO that fights against noise pollution- which was also a party in the noise pollution matter- conducted a firecracker test earlier this week along with Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB). According to their tests, series crackers violated the prescribed noise-pollution limit of 105 dB(A).

The prescribed noise limit for series crackers is 105 dB(A) and Awaaz claimed that most crackers exceeded this limit. The Awaaz foundation's tests also indicated that the noise, as well as smoke levels, are expected to read higher than last year setting the stage for a polluted Diwali.

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