NEW DELHI: As India gets ready to celebrate the colour of lights Deepawali, several states and UT governments have decided to impose a ban on firecrackers and its sale ahead of the festivities due to the rising cases of coronavirus COVID-19 and growing air pollution in a few northern states.
According to reports, as many as eight states have imposed a ban on firecrackers.
Delhi
On November 5, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced the ban on the use of firecrackers in the national capital after reviewing the COVID-19 situation. The Delhi CM said, “Coronavirus cases have increased due to the festival season and pollution. It was decided to ban crackers in Delhi and ramp up medical infrastructure, among other measures.”
CM Kejriwal also urged the people to not use firecrackers this Diwali for the safety of their kids and family. He said, “We will celebrate Diwali together and won’t burst firecrackers in any condition. There will be a wonderful atmosphere and good vibes as two crore people will perform Laxmi Pujan. It will lead to well being in each household.”
Maharashtra
Maharashtra government on November 6 issued guidelines for the citizens to keep in mind while celebrating Diwali. The government appealed to the people to not burst crackers during Diwali citing ecological concerns as it damages the environment and adds to the air pollution and noise pollution.
Meanwhile, the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) imposed a ban on the bursting of firecrackers at public places during Diwali in view of rising COVID-19 cases in the city. Additional Municipal Commissioner Suresh Kakani announced on Thursday that violators shall be penalized and the SOPs in this regard would be issued shortly.
Karnataka
On November 6, Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa announced the ban on the use of firecrackers in the state, adding that a formal order in this regard will be issued soon. “We have discussed it (cracker ban), we are taking a decision to ban the use of firecrackers during Deepavali. The government will soon be issuing an order to this effect,” Yediyurappa said.
The Karntaka CM informed the media that use of firecrackers is being banned during Diwali this year due to COVID and related reasons.
West Bengal
The Calcutta High Court on November 5 ordered a ban on bursting of all kinds of crackers or fireworks for Kali Puja, Diwali, and Chhatpuja in West Bengal. The court also imposed a ban on the sale of firecrackers in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak. The order was passed by a division bench of justices Sanjib Banerjee and Arijit Banerjee while hearing Public Interest Litigations (PILs).
Odisha
On November 3, the Odisha government had passed an order banning the sale and use of firecrackers across the state during the festive season to check air pollution which can create serious problems for COVID-19 patients. According to the goverment’s order, the ban will remain in place from November 10 to 30.
Chief Secretary A K Tripathy issued a direction to prohibit sale and use of firecrackers in all parts of the state from November 10 to 30. “Any person found violating this order shall be punished under the provision of the Disaster Management Act, 2005 and other relevant laws,” the order said.
“Considering the potentially harmful consequences of burning of crackers amidst COVID-l9 pandemic situation and approaching winter, Government of Odisha, therefore, prohibits the sale and use of firecrackers from 10th to 30th of November, 2020 in the public interest,” the chief secretary said.
Rajasthan
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot was the first to announce the ban on the sae and bursting of firecrackers during Diwali this year. On November 2, Gehlot tweeted, “State govt has taken the decision to ban the sale and bursting of firecrackers in order to protect the health of COVID-19 infected patients & public from poisonous smoke emanating due to fireworks. In this challenging corona pandemic time, protecting lives of ppl is paramount for govt.”
Sikkim
Due to the onset of a pandemic, the Sikkim government has imposed a complete ban on firecrackers throughout the state until further notice is given.
Haryana
The Haryana government has declared the possession and sale of imported firecrackers illegal and punishable across the state. The Deputy Commissioners of all the districts have been directed to be vigilant in this regard and take strict action against imported firecrackers’ sale and distribution.
Additionally, they have also been asked to ensure that imported firecrackers are not stored by inspecting all establishments and taking preventive action.
Chandigarh
The Union Territory of Chandigarh has also issued a ban on selling and bursting of firecrackers of all types with immediate effect.
It is to be noted that the National Green Tribunal (NGT) on November 4 issued notices to 18 states and Union Territories, which includes Assam, Nagaland, and Meghalaya, to ban and use of firecrackers during Diwali. The notices were forwarded after the tribunal received pleas to control air and noise pollution during the festive season. Names of the cities in these states were not declared. Therefore, in public health and the environment, the centre is likely to ban crackers from November 7-30.
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