As festivities swept the city on Diwali, residents burst firecrackers worth Rs 5 crore. On the flip side, the air quality plunged into the “very poor” category and noise pollution saw a rise.

“We have sold firecrackers worth nearly Rs 5 crore this Diwali. Barring a few stall owners, the entire stock was sold this time,” said a member of the Cracker Dealers’ Association. The UT Administration had issued 96 temporary licences for the sale of green firecrackers at 12 sites across the city this year.

Efforts were also made to limit the environmental impact, with the Administration implementing specific guidelines for the use of firecrackers for Diwali and other festivals. As part of the measures, residents were permitted to burst only green firecrackers between 8 pm and 10 pm on Diwali night

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