Fire Crackers

DRI officers have busted a smuggling attempt involving the illegal import of Chinese-origin firecrackers, seizing 30,000 pieces at the Mundra Port and arresting the mastermind, the finance ministry said on Monday. In a continued effort under operation "Fire Trail" to counter the illicit import of firecrackers, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) officers intercepted a 40-foot container at Mundra port, originating from China. These containers were declared as carrying "water glass set" and "flower receptacle". A detailed examination revealed 30,000 pieces of concealed firecrackers/fireworks worth about Rs 5 crore hidden behind a front layer of water glass set, the ministry said in a statement. Earlier, in October 2025, DRI had successfully thwarted the attempts of illegal import of Chinese firecrackers at Mumbai and Tuticorin. The import of firecrackers is 'Restricted' and requires valid licences both from the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) and the Petroleum

Historically, Delhi's air has turned hazardous near the Diwali week not just because of the burning of firecrackers, but also due to paddy stubble burning and rising vehicular emissions

Addressing a press conference, Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa shared videos purportedly showing stubble burning in Punjab

Despite claims of lower emissions and noise, green crackers continue to release harmful ultrafine particles and stress the heart and lungs, experts caution.

After years of ban, markets in national capital hold their breath for a green light

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta suggested that the Supreme Court allow the bursting of green crackers to be permitted from 8 pm to 10 pm on Diwali under strict conditions

The bench made it clear that the manufacturers must ensure that these crackers are not sold in Delhi and the National Capital Region until further orders

The Delhi Police has written to e-commerce and social media platforms directing them to immediately cease the listing and delivery of firecrackers in the national capital, an official said on Friday. The action follows directions issued by the Delhi government through an order dated December 19, 2024, and the observations made by the Supreme Court on May 6, 2025, in the matter of MC Mehta vs Union of India and Others, which reiterated the need to curb air pollution caused by firecrackers. In a written communication, the Crime Branch of Delhi Police directed all e-commerce and social media platforms to take immediate steps to ensure compliance with the firecracker ban in the national capital. The platforms have been asked to delist all firecracker-related products and disable the purchase option for customers located in Delhi. They have also been instructed to activate location-based restrictions to prevent any sales or deliveries of firecrackers within the city, Special Commissioner

Calling it a mere "eyewash", the Supreme Court came down heavily on the Delhi police for failing to comprehensively implement the firecracker ban in the national capital and only seizing raw materials. A bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Augustine George Masih therefore directed the Delhi police commissioner to immediately inform all the stakeholders concerned about the ban order and ensure no sale and manufacture of crackers. "We direct Delhi police commissioner to form a special cell to ensure effective implementation of the ban on fire crackers. We direct Delhi police commissioner to file a personal affidavit putting on record the steps taken by them to enforce ban," it said. The top court wondered why the Delhi government delayed imposition of the ban on fire crackers till October 14, when the order of ban was issued. "The right to live in a pollution-free atmosphere is a fundamental right under Article 21 of the Constitution. Prima facie, we are of the view that no religion ..

Delhi Police keeps a strict vigil against the use of firecrackers in the city and has been on high alert following intelligence inputs. A total of 377 teams of Delhi Police and government officials have been deployed on ground to ensure blanket ban on sale and purchase of fire crackers in the city on Diwali. "Legal actions will be taken against those caught bursting crackers during the festival," a senior police officer told PTI. Police will also be deployed in civil dress seeing that the ban on crackers is followed. On October 14, the Delhi government imposed a ban on production, storage, sale and use of firecrackers across the city, effective till January 1. Meanwhile, the city has also been on a high alert since October 20 when a blast ripped through a wall of CRPF school in Rohini's Prashant Vihar area. The blast hurt no one but damaged hoardings of nearby shops and window panes of parked vehicles. Police will be deployed in markets which see considerable rush on Diwali such

A fireworks accident at a Kerala temple festival left over 150 injured, with eight critically hurt; authorities suspect the fire started at a nearby storage facility; investigation underway

Three police personnel were suspended on charges of negligence in connection with the blast at an illegal firecracker making unit at a house here, while the death toll in the incident climbed to three, police said on Tuesday. An FIR has been lodged at the Tarabganj police station. The explosion had taken place at the house of Mohammad Farooq in Ragadganj village on Monday when some people were making firecrackers inside. Superintendent of Police Vineet Jaiswal said that one of the injured identified as Ayaaz Mohammad alias Toofan (17) died during treatment late on Monday in Lucknow, taking the toll in the incident to three. Two persons identified as Akash (15) and Lallu (30) had died earlier. Based on the complaint of Sub-Inspector Subhash Vishvkarma an FIR has been lodged at Tarabganj police station against Ishak, Ayub alias Lallu, Akash alias Chhotu, Krishna Kumar, Ayaz alias Toofa, Azad and several unidentified persons under the Explosive Substances Act. All of them are accuse

The death toll in the blast at an explosives factory in Maharashtra's Nagpur district has gone up to nine with the last surviving person succumbing to his injuries, officials said on Sunday. Pramod Chavare died of his burn injuries at a private medical facility here on Saturday night, Dande Hospital's director Dr Pinak Dande told PTI. The blast took place at around 1 pm on Thursday at the Chamundi Explosives Pvt Ltd in Dhamna village under Hingna police station limits, around 25 km from the city. Nine injured persons were subsequently admitted to two private hospitals in the city. While six of them died during treatment on Thursday, three others succumbed over the last two days. The deceased included six women. Most of the victims were working in the factory's packaging unit when the explosion took place, according to police. The police on Friday arrested Jay Shivshankar Khemka (49), the factory's director of the factory, and manager Sagar Deshmukh. They were produced before the

The Delhi Fire Services (DFS) received over 200 calls, including 183 fire-related, on Wednesday, the highest so far this year, officials said. From January 1 to May 26, they received 8,912 fire-related calls, according to the data shared by the DFS on Monday. We received 183 calls fire-related class in 24 hours, ending midnight of May 29, DFS chief Atul Garg said. "This was the highest single-day calls recorded so far in this year." With the temperature soaring in the city and hovering near the 50-degree Celsius mark, Delhi is seeing a rise in fire-related incidents, claiming several lives. According to the data, fire has taken 55 lives and injured more than 300 people in the national capital so far this year. Sixteen people were killed in fire-related incidents in January, another 16 in February, 12 in March, four in April, and seven till May 26, it said. On May 26, a fire tragedy at Baby Care New Born Hospital in east Delhi's Vivek Vihar area claimed the lives of six newborns a

Fifteen people received burn injuries after a heap of firecrackers exploded during Lord Jagannath's Chandan Jatra festival in Odisha's Puri on Wednesday night, police said. Hundreds of people had gathered on the banks of Narendra Pushkarinee, a waterbody, to witness the rituals when the accident happened, they said. A group of devotees were celebrating the festival with crackers. Suddenly, a splinter from the burning crackers struck the heap, leading to the explosion, they added. The burning crackers then hit the people gathered at the spot, and some of them, even jumped into the waterbody to save themselves, police said. The injured persons were admitted to the district hospital, and the conditions of four of them were critical, a doctor said. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik expressed grief over the incident and directed officials concerned to ensure proper treatment of the injured. He said the cost of the treatment would be borne by the Chief Minister's Relief Fund.

Sivakasi manufacturers not bursting with joy as rain, cyclone played spoilsport

According to the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research, the air quality in Delhi, as of 6 am, stood "poor" with AQI at 286, a rise from Sunday's 4 pm average reading of 218

"Co-passengers are also requested to inform on-duty railway staff in case they find any passenger carrying inflammable items in the train," the statement added

Action will be taken against those who violate the norms, said Rai, adding that the Delhi government is preparing to come up with a 'Winter action plan'

Over 100 firecracker markets will be set up across West Bengal ahead of the festive season, the organisers said. Manufacturers of green crackers who comply with environmental guidelines will be allowed to set up stalls in these 'Baji Bazars', said Babla Roy, the chairman of Sara Bangla Atasbaji Unnyan Samiti. Around 4,000 firecracker manufacturers and sellers have submitted applications to set up stalls in these markets, he said. Besides the 'Baji Bazars' in different districts, four mega marts will be held at Maidan in Kolkata, Dumurjala in Howrah, Kawakhali in Siliguri and Barasat in North 24 Parganas. "The first Bazaar is likely to begin on October 12. Others may start a few days later based on the convenience of the organisers and stall owners. The duration of the bazaars will not be the same for all. The big ones will continue till Kali Puja and Diwali," Roy said. "There will be gaps of several feet between two stalls, and officers of the state pollution control board will ..