Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer said that keeping in mind the sentiments of the people on the occasion of Diwali, on October 24, firecrackers can be burst for two hours from 8 to 10 pm. (File)In line with the directions of the Supreme Court and the National Green Tribunal, the Punjab government has restricted the time to burst firecrackers, has allowed only the use of green crackers and banned series crackers in the state.
Environment, Science and Technology minister Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer said that keeping in mind the sentiments of the people on the occasion of Diwali, on October 24, firecrackers can be burst for two hours from 8 to 10 pm. The manufacture, stock, distribution, sale and use of series crackers have been banned in the state, he said.
Only the green crackers (those crackers that do not use barium salts or compounds of antimony, lithium, mercury arsenic, strontium or chromate) would be allowed to be sold and used. The sale shall only be through licensed traders and it shall be ensured that the licensed traders are selling only green crackers.
Meet Hayer further said that apart from Diwali, bursting of crackers will be permitted for one hour from 4 to 5 am and one hour from 9 to 10 pm on November 8, the Prakash Purab day of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji; for 35 minutes on Christmas from 11.55 pm to 12.30 am on December 25-26 and 35 minutes from 11.55 pm to 12.30 am midnight on New Year’s Eve from 31 December-1 January have been allowed.