【Priyani (2021) Hindi Short Film】

Better late than never. In what could Priyani (2021) Hindi Short Filmbe seen as a major step in curbing severe air pollution, India’s Supreme Court on Friday deemed it illegal to sell firecrackers in Delhi and the National Capital Region.

The country’s highest judicial forum and final court of appeal cancelled the license of all firecracker sellers in the aforementioned areas, noting that firecrackers contribute to air pollution. The ban on firecrackers' sale has been enforced from today.

The decision comes weeks after India’s New Delhi was carpeted with layers of smog, with air quality index reading going beyond "severely hazardous." Lives of hundreds of millions of people were impacted during Diwali festival as visibility turned low and it became harder for people to breathe clean air.

As recent as November 2016, New Delhi was the world’s most polluted city. The air quality has since improved, though it is still far from safe limits. The auspicious Hindu festival sees many people light crackers in celebration. It was later found out that burning of crop stubble in the nearby states was the bigger cause of air pollution in New Delhi.

Several people had signed petitions to urge the authorities to take immediate steps in curbing the air pollution level. “Keeping the grave air quality in mind, we can intervene to suspend the license,” the top court said.

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