📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Pinakpani
Local
Firecracker stalls crowd Delhi markets as festive rush lifts AQI
✍️ Hindustan Times
🗓 23 Oct 2026, 01:02 AM
👁 17
As the festive season begins, Delhi’s market stalls are seeing a surge in firecracker stock, coinciding with a rise in the city’s Air Quality Index.
Delhi’s wholesale and retail markets have reported a sharp increase in firecracker inventory ahead of the upcoming festive celebrations. Vendors across the city’s major bazaars are displaying a wide variety of crackers, from sparklers to larger aerial shells, catering to the heightened demand among consumers.
The surge in firecracker sales comes at a time when the city’s Air Quality Index (AQI) has been on an upward trajectory, with particulate matter levels crossing unhealthy thresholds. Environmental monitors recorded a noticeable dip in air quality over the past week, raising concerns among health officials.
City authorities have reiterated warnings about the health risks associated with firecracker use, especially for vulnerable groups such as children, the elderly, and those with respiratory conditions. Officials are also urging vendors to comply with existing regulations on the sale of prohibited or unsafe fireworks.
In response to the rising AQI, the Delhi Pollution Control Committee has announced plans to increase monitoring stations near market hubs and to conduct random inspections of firecracker stalls to ensure compliance with safety standards.
Consumers are being advised to consider low-emission alternatives and to follow safety guidelines if they choose to purchase and use fireworks, as the city grapples with balancing festive enthusiasm and public health.
The surge in firecracker sales comes at a time when the city’s Air Quality Index (AQI) has been on an upward trajectory, with particulate matter levels crossing unhealthy thresholds. Environmental monitors recorded a noticeable dip in air quality over the past week, raising concerns among health officials.
City authorities have reiterated warnings about the health risks associated with firecracker use, especially for vulnerable groups such as children, the elderly, and those with respiratory conditions. Officials are also urging vendors to comply with existing regulations on the sale of prohibited or unsafe fireworks.
In response to the rising AQI, the Delhi Pollution Control Committee has announced plans to increase monitoring stations near market hubs and to conduct random inspections of firecracker stalls to ensure compliance with safety standards.
Consumers are being advised to consider low-emission alternatives and to follow safety guidelines if they choose to purchase and use fireworks, as the city grapples with balancing festive enthusiasm and public health.