The National Green Tribunal has served a notice on the Centre and major environmental and administrative agencies in the National Capital Region (NCR) and adjoining states asking them whether firecrackers should be banned from November 7 to 30, covering Diwali on November 14, in view of the pandemic.

With green and enviro-legal activists in Bengal suggesting if such a measure should also be considered in the state and demanding a ban on fireworks, the Mamata Banerjee government on Tuesday appealed to people not to burst firecrackers during Kali Puja and Diwali to check air pollution, which is hazardous for Covid-19 patients.

The national bench of the NGT issued the notices on Monday in response to a petition praying for remedial action against fireworks-induced pollution in the NCR. The appellants had pointed to Union health minister Harsh Vardhan’s warning of a spike in Covid cases in the festive season due to air pollution.

The four-member NGT bench of Justices Adarsh Kumar Goel and S.K. Singh and expert members S.S. Garbyal and Nagin Nanda referred to earlier fireworks-related cases where several directives had been issued and pointed out that they “do not consider the Covid-19 situation when the adverse effect may be… severe”.

“There are also expert views on clear nexus of air pollution with Covid-19,” the bench said, referring to a scientific report and observing that “with increased air pollution, the virus can cause more damage”.

“In view of the above, (we) issue notice to the MoEF&CC (ministry of environment, forest and climate change), CPCB (Central Pollution Control Board), DPCC (Delhi Pollution Control Committee), Delhi police commissioner and the governments of Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan (on) whether the use of firecrackers may be banned for the period from 07.11.2020 to 30.11.2020 in the interest of public health and environment,” the NGT order said.

The matter will be heard again on Thursday.

Hiralal Konar, a convener of a joint platform of doctors in Bengal, said: “Both issues raised in the NGT directive — high air pollution and a high number of Covid cases — apply equally to Bengal. Taking a cue from the NGT observations, there should be a blanket ban on the use of fireworks in Bengal as well.”

Later in the day, Bengal chief secretary Alapan Bandyopadhyay announced the state government’s appeal on crackers this Diwali and Kali Puja.

Physician Ajoy Sarkar said while referring to the NGT directive: “High air pollution and Covid impact the lungs simultaneously. So, bursting of fireworks should be banned this Diwali.”

Delhi plea

Delhi environment minister Gopal Rai on Tuesday urged residents to avoid bursting firecrackers as much as possible this Diwali in the interest of public health and environment.

The minister launched an “anti-cracker” campaign and inspected various places to ensure that only “green” firecrackers are manufactured and sold in the national capital.

Additional reporting from PTI