Delhi deputy CM Manish Sisodia urges students to say no to fire crackers this Diwali. Sisodia has written to 2000 educational institutions asking them to follow a no-cracker festival.


The state Environment Department last week organized, "Say No to Fire Crackers' workshop to sensitise and to create public awareness about the harmful effects of air and noise pollution emanating due to the use of fire crackers.


The Supreme Court last week refused to expand the eight-hour night-time ban period on bursting of crackers and voiced unhappiness over the government's failure to run a campaign to create public awareness during Diwali time on the ill-effects of fireworks.


Refusing to modify its direction in 2001 banning bursting of crackers between 2200 hours and 0600 hours, a bench comprising Chief Justice H L Dattu and Justice Arun Mishra asked the Centre to "give wide publicity both in print and electronic media to the ill effects of fireworks" almost on daily basis from October 31 to November 12.


The National Capital has been witnessing one of the worst smog attacks in recent years, as the quality of the air continued to decline in the last few days, posing several threats to human lives. Smog engulfed several parts of Delhi after farmers in Haryana and Punjab continued to burn paddy stubble in their fields.