Mumbai: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has banned bursting of firecrackers in public places under its jurisdiction amid the rising pollution and coronavirus concerns.

Use of soundless firecrackers, such as, ‘phooljhadi’, ‘anar’ will be allowed between 8 pm to 10 pm on the night of Diwali only, the civic body said in an order on Monday.

Earlier, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday also appealed to people to avoid bursting firecrackers in public places. “I don’t want to enforce a ban. Let us have faith and trust in each other,” he said.

He said Delhi is seeing a surge in coronavirus cases, adding, it is said that pollution is the cause behind this. “Let us have self control and restrain from bursting firecrackers which will lead to pollution. Let us not waste nine months’ of hard work against the pandemic during four days of Diwali celebrations,” he said.

(With inputs from PTI)