Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai has announced that there will be a "complete ban" on the production, storage sale and use of firecrackers in the national capital till January 1, 2023.
"To protect people from the hazards of air pollution like last year, Production, storage, sale and use of all types of firecrackers are being completely banned in Delhi," Mr Rai tweeted.
Mr Rai said there will be a ban on online sale of firecrackers too, and an action plan will be chalked out after discussions with the Delhi police, Delhi Pollution Control Committee and Revenue Department to ensure strict enforcement of the ban.
Diwali will be celebrated in the last week of October this year.
The Delhi government had banned the sale and use of firecrackers last Diwali too due to concerns over alarming air pollution levels.
In addition to firecrackers, air pollution in Delhi during the Diwali period is made worse by stubble burning - a contentious practice - in neighbouring states like Haryana and Punjab.
Last month, Gopal Rai had said that the Delhi government will launch a 15-point action plan in October to fight air pollution in winter.
In 2020, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) had imposed a total ban on the sale or use of all kinds of firecrackers in Delhi and adjoining areas from November 9 midnight to November 30 midnight.
Man Attempts To Cook Chicken With Firecracker, Internet Questions His "Common Sense" 4 Workers Killed, 1 Injured In Firecracker Unit Blast In Tamil Nadu: Cops Cop Dies While Disposing Seized Firecracker In Odisha's Cuttack Mamata Banerjee's Sunday Ultimatum To CBI For Death Penalty In Rape-Murder How Extreme Weather Is Leading To Rise In Child Marriages In Pakistan "Prove With Pics Crime Scene Intact": Court To Bengal Over Hospital Vandalism Egyptian Ship Arrested At Paradip Port In Odisha For Outstanding Debt Will Back Any Candidate Announced As Chief Minister Face: Uddhav Thackeray Trump, Musk, And The Importance Of 'Exaggeration' In Storytelling Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.