No crackers this wedding season in Noida

The district administration held a meeting with firecrackers sellers, disc-jockeys and banquet hall owners to ensure that banned firecrackers are not used during the wedding season, nor is loud music is played after the permissible period.

A sub-divisional magistrate and city magistrate held a meeting with concerned departments like the police, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and officials of the administration, along with other stakeholders, to ensure no illegal activities take place during the, which will go on from January till the first week of March.

Officials have informed providers of music systems that they can play music only up till 10pm. The permitted decibel levels are is 65dB during the day and 55dB at night. A person caught in violation of the rules can face imprisonment up to five years and a fine of ₹5 lakh under various sections of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), officials said.

According to officials, no “green crackers” have been made available by the Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO) in the district, so the selling or usage of firecrackers will not be allowed.

“We held a meeting with music system providers, banquet hall owners and firecracker dealers to make them aware of the rules and regulations. The wedding season has started, and we want to ensure that crackers are used illegally. All concerned departments have been asked to initiate strict action against violators,” Rajpal Singh, sub divisional magistrate (Sadar), said.

On December 22, administration and police teams raided and sealed an unauthorised cracker factory in Dhoom Manikpur village. Three truckloads of crackers worth ₹50 lakh were confiscated from the factory. Workers were present in the factory, but the owners could not be found. A complaint was registered against the owners, Anil Sharma and Raju Pandit, under Section 9B of the Explosives Act 1884, which prohibits the illegal manufacture, import, export, possession or sale of any explosive material.

People who burst banned firecrackers will be booked under Section 151 (arrest to prevent the commission of cognizable offences) of the CrPC and FIRs against sellers will be registered under Section 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), officials said.

Under Section 151 of the CrPC, a person can be arrested and a surety bond of ₹50,000 taken them. The maximum punishment under Section 188 of the IPC is a jail term up to one month and a fine of ₹100.

First Published: Jan 06, 2019 14:28 IST