<div style="text-align: justify; "><span style="font-size: 1rem;"><b>People who let off firecrackers in Delhi during Diwali will face up to six months in jail, the city's environment minister has announced amid worsening pollution levels in the Indian capital.</b></span><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The government has also imposed a fine of 200 Indian rupees ($2.41; £2.15) on those caught bursting firecrackers.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The rules are part of a broader ban on firecrackers announced in September to help curb extreme pollution.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Delhi is the world's most polluted capital.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Various factors such as factory emissions, traffic fumes, and general weather patterns contribute to the high pollution levels in the city.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The air turns particularly toxic every winter when farmers in neighbouring states burn crop stubble. And fireworks during the Hindu festival Diwali worsen the air quality as low wind speeds trap the pollutants in the lower atmosphere.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The smog-filled air, which covers the city during this time, contains dangerously high levels of fine particulate matter called PM2.5 - tiny particles that can clog lungs and cause a host of diseases.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This year too, air quality is expected to dip to the "very poor" category ahead of the festival on 24 October, due to calm winds and the stable atmospheric conditions.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">On the air quality index or AQI, a figure between 301-400 is considered "very poor" while zero and 50 is considered "good".</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In September, the Delhi government had imposed a complete ban on the production, sale and use of all types of firecrackers till 1 January - a practice it has followed for the last two years.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Environment Minister Gopal Rai on Wednesday said that anyone found storing or selling fireworks will face a fine of up to 5,000 rupees and three years jail.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He added that the government has set up 408 teams - comprising police officials and pollution officers - to implement the rules. Hours later, the police seized over 2,200kg of firecrackers from across the city, Times of India newspaper reported.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"A public awareness campaign will also be run on October 21 to sensitise citizens about the ban," Mr Rai said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Many, however, have criticised the move, saying it is unfair and harsh. Some have also called the ban "anti-Hindu".</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"Why [are] only Hindu festivals causing pollution. If people in Delhi burst crackers for 3-4 hours, how does it matter?" a social media user wrote on Twitter.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Over the years, celebratory fireworks during Diwali has become a sensitive topic in India, with many Hindus arguing that a cracker ban is discriminatory. Several celebrities, who have done anti-cracker campaigns, have been also accused of hurting religious sentiments. BBC</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">bnbd24/kh</div>