Delhi Police directs e-commerce platforms to stop online sale and delivery of firecrackers
New Delhi: In response to increasing air pollution, the Delhi Police ordered social media and e-commerce sites to immediately stop selling and delivering firecrackers online in the National Capital Territory (NCT). The order aims to stop the sale of firecrackers via e-commerce platforms and directly safeguard residents’ health and well-being from rising pollution, according to an official statement released on Wednesday.
“As a crucial step in protecting the health and well-being of citizens getting directly affected due to increasing pollution and to prevent sale of firecrackers through e-commerce platforms, providing delivery options to addresses within NCT of Delhi, e-Commerce Websites/Social Media Platforms have been directed in writing through an e-mail, yesterday dated 19.11.2024,” the Delhi Police stated in its statement.
In accordance with legal orders, platforms have been directed to take down firecracker listings, disable services for Delhi customers, impose location-based restrictions to prevent sales and deliveries within the city, post notices alerting users to the ban, and make sure delivery partners don’t take, transport, or deliver consignments related to firecrackers while the ban is in effect.
Additionally, the platforms have been asked to provide formal verification of their compliance.
The actions are essential to tackling the serious problem of air pollution and safeguarding public health, the Delhi Police emphasized. It is anticipated that the order would guarantee rigorous implementation of the prohibition and stop infractions via online channels.
In order to tackle growing air pollution levels, the Supreme Court recently ordered the introduction of a ban on firecrackers in the case of ‘MC Mehta versus Union of India & Ors’ on November 11. This move is in accordance with that judgment.
Previously, from October 14 to January 1, 2025, the Delhi government’s Environment Department and Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) banned the production, storage, and detonation of all types of firecrackers in the city.
Delhi Police said that the goal of this most recent endeavor is to reduce internet sales, which compromise the ban’s efficacy.
According to statistics released by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the national capital’s Air Quality Index was 379 on Thursday morning. This is classified as’very poor’. The air pollution in Delhi has been at severe to severe+ levels for the last several days.
