New Delhi, Nov 11 (PTI) Senior BJP leader Vijay Goel on Wednesday submitted a memorandum to the National Green Tribunal (NGT) urging it to direct the Delhi government to compensate traders who have suffered losses due to the ban on firecrackers in the city.

The state government should have taken the decision to ban firecrackers well in time, the former Union minister said.

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After a meeting held to review the COVID-19 situation in Delhi, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on November 5 announced a ban on firecrackers in the city.

The blanket ban, including on green crackers, restricts sale, purchase and use of firecrackers till November 30.

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"The Delhi government issued licences for selling firecrackers. Its environment minister said green crackers would be allowed and then the government banned firecrackers. The NGT should direct the Delhi government to compensate (traders) who had stocked crackers for sale during festivals," Goel said.

In his memorandum submitted to NGT Registrar General Ashu Garg, the BJP leader also suggested various steps to check pollution in Delhi.

On Sunday, Goel had staged a dharna at Jantar Mantar to press his demand.

He had said traders had purchased crackers worth lakhs of rupees after getting licences. Due to the ban, they stand to suffer huge financial losses that the Delhi government should compensate.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)