Bombay HC order falls on deaf ears as firecracker shops run in residential areas

Several fireworks dealers are upset with the Bombay Hich Court orders of the last year which say that the civic authorities in Maharashtra should see to it that storing and selling of firecrackers would not be allowed in the residential areas.

"Where in Mumbai do you have a separate residential zone, or a separate industrial and commercial zone? Is this a planned city like Chandigarh or Navi Mumbai?" argues Minesh Mehta, honorary general secretary of the Mumbai and Thane district Fireworks Dealers Welfare Association.

Bombay High Court was hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Nashik resident Chandrakant Lasure and the court was concerned about the safety of residents. To minimise loss of life due to such accidents, the court asked civic authorities to take action.

Acting upon that order, the municipal corporation in Mumbai, and the fire brigade which gives no objection certificates to shops and establishments, have been seeing to it that they do not give fresh licenses to fireworks shops in the residential areas.

An officer said, "Whenever there is an application to establish a shop for firecrackers, we see if it is in residential or commercial area. Only if it is in commercial area we allow or else it is not permitted."

The officer added, "We cannot do much about old shops which are already established around residential areas but to ask the shops to install fire extinguishers, water hydrants and take other safety measures to."

However, Minesh Mehta says that Mumbai Municipal Corporation has stopped renewing licenses of many firecracker shop owners.

"Till last year there were about 220 licensed shops in Mumbai selling fire crackers and this year we are only about 110 shop owners. Most of us have shops and the licenses were given to us at the time when Britishers ruled this country. And now we are suddenly being told that we can't run our businesses." A few dealers have intervened in the PIL filed by Lasure and are hoping for a positive outcome.

However, most of the shops are found in congested residential areas like Pydhonie area, the Chalk-Block Lalbagh area, or the Dadar by-lanes.

"I have recorded how these shops are still running in residential areas and in spite of many complaints the police are not taking action. I have now decided to go ahead and file a case of contempt against the authorities," says Lasur.

Also Watch : Delhi: Traders protest against Supreme Court's ban on firecrackers