Avoid firecrackers, just light lamps this Diwali, urges Maharashtra minister Kesarkar

Maharashtra cabinet minister Deepak Kesarkar on Wednesday appealed to citizens not to burst firecrackers during Diwali and extend cooperation in improving Mumbai's poor air quality index. The minister said bursting of crackers remains a cause of "worry" for the state administration. Addressing a press conference here, Kesarkar, who is also the guardian minister of Mumbai City, appealed to citizens not to burst firecrackers during Diwali and celebrate the festival by lighting lamps.

The Bombay High Court on Monday issued permission to burst firecrackers for 3 hours, between 7 pm to 10 pm, on Diwali. The High Court also instructed all constructions in the Maharashtra's capital city be halted till Diwali, in order to combat worsening air pollution. A division bench of Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Girish Kulkarni issued a slew of directions to immediately address the air quality index in a Suo Motu Public Interest Litigation regarding the deteriorating air quality in Mumbai.

“We have to make a choice. Either we have a disease-free environment or we burn fire crackers and celebrate the festival. The state government will have to take a call. We cannot even walk on the footpath…With the entire city being affected in this manner, the state government will have to take a decision. We can't depend only on the nature." Livelaw quoted the Bombay High Court