The Delhi government on Thursday announced a ban on firecrackers in the national capital. In a series of tweets, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said the decision was taken after reviewing the Covid situation in Delhi.
The government had earlier allowed only “green” firecrackers to be manufactured and sold in Delhi.
The West Bengal government on Tuesday appealed to people to avoid bursting firecrackers during the upcoming Kali Puja and Diwali.
“With everybody’s cooperation, we want to hold the Kali Puja and Diwali festivals avoiding firecrackers. The administration appeals to people to avoid firecrackers,” Chief Secretary Alapan Bandyopadhyay was quoted as saying by PTI.
The Rajasthan government has also announced a ban on the sale and bursting of firecrackers during the festive season in the wake of Covid-19.
In a series of tweets, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said that the “poisonous smoke emanating from fireworks is a health hazard” for Covid patients as well as those suffering from heart ailments and breathing problems.
He added that instructions have been given to ban the temporary license for the sale of firecrackers and that fireworks should also be stopped during weddings and other events.
The Chief Minister has also directed to take strict action against the sale of firecrackers and fireworks in the state, according to PTI. In a situation like this, people should avoid using fireworks on Diwali, he said.
Karnataka has also released guidelines for the sale of firecrackers. Chief Secretary TM Vijay Bhaskar issued the guidelines which said that the firecrackers can only be sold from 1 to 17 November.
“Only authorised dealers who obtain necessary clearance from offices concerned will be allowed to set up shops. Each shop should have cross-ventilation facilities and should display the license provided by the concerned authority,” The Indian Express quoted from the guidelines.
Sellers and buyers must wear mask and maintain physical distance, and firecracker shops should be allowed in open areas like playgrounds, the guidelines states, according to Bangalore Mirror.
(With PTI inputs)
