Madhya Pradesh bans sale and use of high-decibel firecrackers this Diwali

Bhopal: Even as Madhya Pradesh home minister Bhupendra Singh has invited Delhiites to celebrate “Diwali with crackers” in the state, the state government on Thursday banned manufacturing, sale and use of crackers which generate high-decibel sound with immediate effect. [caption id=“attachment_3078354” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. AFP[/caption] “In view of notification issued by the Union Ministry of Environment and Forest, the manufacturing, sale or use of crackers which generate noise levels exceeding 125 dB(AI) or 145 dB(C) will be banned,” state environment minister Antar Singh Arya said in a statement on Thursday. Following the Supreme Court’s instructions, the Madhya Pradesh government has also prohibited the use of all noise-emitting crackers from 10 pm to 6 am, he said. Firecrackers increase air pollution and adversely affect the environment and humans, the statement said. On 10 October, home minister Bhupendra Singh had invited Delhiites to come to Madhya Pradesh to celebrate Diwali after the apex court banned sale of firecrackers in Delhi-NCR area till 1 November. “If the people of Delhi contact us over phone or through letters, we will make arrangements for them to celebrate our important festival, Diwali, in Bhopal,” he had said, stressing the cultural and religious significance of the festival. Asked for a comment on the apex court’s decision, Singh said it had imposed the ban in view of the environmental conditions in Delhi. “The Delhi government should work hard to improve the environment, which has been primarily polluted by vehicles,” the home minister had said.