Goa, Nov. 11 -- Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has strongly defended the bursting of firecrackers during Diwali, dismissing environmental concerns by asserting that any temporary air quality degradation caused by the festivities would clear up over time.

Speaking at a government appointment ceremony in Lucknow, where he distributed job letters to over 1,000 junior assistants and released Rs.215 crore under a farmer welfare scheme, Yogi Adityanath emphasized that his administration placed zero restrictions on festive celebrations across the state.

"You must have noticed the hustle and bustle in the markets on Dhanteras," Yogi Adityanath stated. "Many people claimed that Diwali caused pollution. Well, even if it did, it will...