3 arrested for bursting banned firecrackers in Noida

Three people were arrested here on Monday for allegedly bursting a banned variety of firecrackers in the violation of the Supreme Court guidelines on containing pollution, officials said.

An FIR under the Explosive Substances Act was registered against two city-based vendors who were selling an illegal variety of crackers, the Gautam Buddh Nagar administration said.

"Three people were arrested for disrupting law and order by bursting a banned variety of crackers. One individual each was arrested by the Sectors 20, 24 and Phase 2 police," District Magistrate Brajesh Narain Singh said.

"Two vendors have been booked by the Phase 3 police for selling the banned crackers and proceedings against the duo are underway," Singh was quoted as saying in an official statement.

Amid critical weather conditions in Delhi NCR, the Supreme Court had last year ordered a ban on the sale of conventional firecrackers during Diwali.

It had allowed the sale of green crackers which are supposed to cause lesser air pollution and instructed the local authorities and police to ensure the implementation of its order.

A hazy cocktail of emissions from fireworks, stubble burning and vehicles hung over the national capital region a day after Diwali on Monday.

Greater Noida and Noidarecorded their air quality index in the "very poor" category, among other satellite towns of Delhi, according to a data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).