NEW DELHI — India’s Supreme Court on Monday banned the sale of fireworks in New Delhi and nearby towns 10 days before the Hindu festival of Diwali, in a move to curb the capital’s deadly air pollution. Millions of highly polluting firecrackers are normally lit on Diwali, which falls on Oct. 19 this year. The court said it will assess whether a fireworks ban makes a difference to New Delhi’s air, among the dirtiest in the world. The court said people who have already bought fireworks can use them, but that new ones cannot be sold. Last year, the Supreme Court stopped the sale of fireworks in and around New Delhi after a slew of petitions flagged the alarming rise in pollution levels after Diwali.

Source: National Post October 09, 2017 08:20 UTC