The Delhi Police have seized more than 1,200 kg of firecrackers and arrested 29 people since October 9, when the Supreme Court ordered a temporary ban on the sale of firecrackers in the National Capital Region. Two officers posted at the Mangolpuri Police Station were also suspended for failing to curb the sale of firecrackers in areas under their jurisdiction, PTI reported on Wednesday.

The crackdown was launched across 13 police districts. Delhi Police Commissioner Amulya Patnaik deployed special teams in these districts to monitor the situation. The most number of cases were lodged in the north district, but the police seized the largest amount of firecrackers – 368 kg – from the southwest district.

On October 9, the Supreme Court had said it wanted to assess the difference in air quality in the highly polluted region. Air quality in Delhi and the NCR saw an alarming drop after Diwali celebrations on October 30, 2016. As a result of the smog, schools had been closed for three days. The National Green Tribunal had also declared an environmental emergency in Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.