18% Delhi NCR families surveyed likely to burn crackers this Diwali; 55% won’t as they believe crackers cause pollution

Oct 27, 2024, New Delhi: “Air pollution has recently become a serious health challenge with the Air Quality Index (AQI) in certain states/ UTs reaching moderate to poor levels. This may even worsen considering the upcoming festive season and onset of winter,” Prof (Dr) Atul Goel, Director General of Health Services (DGHS), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, recently wrote to state health officials.

In Delhi NCR, after all these years of high AQI levels every winter, a section of the residents have become indifferent to these Government advisories. This could be observed with the amount of firecrackers that were bursted in Delhi last Sunday to mark the day of Karva Chauth which proves that some people are in possession of firecrackers already despite the ban in Delhi and NCR on manufacture, storage, sale and use of firecrackers during winter months till January 1, 2025.

Already, many parts of Delhi and NCR are experiencing high levels of air pollution, having crossed 350 AQI or severe category. This has led to many residents expressing their views on cracker burning as well as the failure of authorities to enforce the ban on the ground. With lots of posts and comments received on the subject and Diwali just a few days away, LocalCircles has strived to find out whether residents in Delhi NCR are planning to abide with the ban on firecrackers while celebrating the festival. The survey received over 10,000 responses from residents of Delhi, Gurugram, Noida, Faridabad and Ghaziabad. 68% respondents were men while 32% respondents were women.

18% Delhi NCR families surveyed likely to burn crackers this Diwali; 55% won’t as they find them causing pollution

The survey asked residents of Delhi NCR, “What do you plan to do this Diwali in regard to firecrackers?” Out of 10,526 who responded to the query 55% stated that they “will not be burning (firecrackers) as they cause pollution”; 19% stated that though they “like to burn crackers but they aren’t available in my city”; 9% stated that they “will burn crackers and have already got them from NCR cities”; 9% stated that they “will burn crackers and know how to get them” while 8% did not give a clear answer. To sum up, 18% Delhi NCR families surveyed are likely to burn crackers this Diwali while 55% won’t as they find them causing pollution.

In summary, the survey clearly brings out that majority of the residents of Delhi NCR are aware of the risk of adding to the air pollution, which has entered “very poor” or dangerous level in some hot spots in the national capital and surrounding areas, and so decided not to burn crackers during Diwali. Apart from 55% of those not planning to burn crackers during Diwali, 18% are going to celebrate Diwali with firecrackers. 9% of them already have them in their possession and another 9% are confident that they will have them in time for Diwali. Then there is an additional 19% who are likely to refrain from cracker burning just because the supplies aren’t available easily. According to citizens, the authorities in addition to announcing such bans must also conduct intelligent enforcement checks on routes where crackers are likely to be transported from states of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh into Delhi and as mystery shoppers in various markets of Delhi NCR. According to people, It is fairly common for the makeshift shops in markets to become the nodes for selling crackers with supplies stored within the 100-200 meters distance of the market area.

Survey Demographics

The survey received over 10,000 responses from residents of Delhi, Gurugram, Noida, Faridabad and Ghaziabad. 68% respondents were men while 32% respondents were women. The survey was conducted via LocalCircles platform, and all participants were validated citizens who had to be registered with LocalCircles to participate in this survey.