NEW DELHI: Although there's a total ban on firecrackers this Diwali, the fire department is not letting its guard down. Extra manpower has been arranged for the festival period by cancelling all leaves.
The department will be ready for any untoward incident in case of a violation, said a fire official, adding that many people were seen buying crackers till the ban came into effect.
Around 24 temporary fire posts will be set up. The department has so far identified 22 locations, including Lajpat Nagar, Sarojini Nagar, Sadar Bazar, Tivoli Garden and Bara Tooti. Last year, it had received over 200 fire calls.
Atul Garg, director of Delhi Fire Services, said, "We will set up temporary fire posts in different areas, including markets and congested places. Sometimes fires are also caused even by diyas, candles and hanging lights."
The department is also updating its basic safety tips that can be taken to avoid any untoward incident, said Garg, who has been sharing safety steps on his Twitter handle.
"One must ensure that the entry and exit to escape routes are not blocked and, in case of an emergency, residents can use another way," he said. People should also avoid plugging in their appliances to an extension cord and must not place wires under mats while decorating with hanging lights.
Delhi Police has arrested a man in outer Delhi for bursting crackers, and also registered eight other cases for the same offence in different parts of the capital. Out of these, seven were registered in east Delhi.
"In the last couple of days, we have received calls from several residents informing us about people bursting crackers in parks or on roads," said a senior police officer. Police personnel have been tasked to immediately respond to these calls since Delhi government's ban has been enforced, he added. "So far our teams haven't come across anybody at these locations. But we have registered several cases," said the officer.
Delhi Police has seized around 792.2 kilogram of illegal crackers and arrested 12 people.