Diwali 2020: Ahmedabad residents allowed to burst crackers in two hours window; online sale banned

Ahmedabad residents will be allowed to burst crackers for two hours on Diwali! The Ahmedabad city police ahead of the festival of lights have alerted the residents that they can burst firecrackers only in a two hours window between 8 PM and 10 PM on November 14 in limited space amid the Covid-19 pandemic, reported IE.

Amit Vishwakarma, the in-charge police commissioner of Ahmedabad city, issued a directive regarding regulation in bursting, buying or sale of firecrackers. An order has been passed following the same under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC).

Restrictions were imposed not just on time period, place of bursting crackers but also in its kind. ‘Series crackers’ popularly called ‘Lari’ has been banned for its spread of excessive noise and air pollution. Only the Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO) certified firecrackers that emit noise less than 145 decibels are allowed for use, purchase and sale. Bursting crackers is not permissible within 100 meters radius of hospitals, health centres, nursing homes, courts or religious places and other silent zones. Market places, godowns that store highly inflammable substances, LPG gas station and public routes are also off-limits.

Authorities have also banned the sale and purchase of sky lanterns, foreign firecrackers and balloon firecrackers. The directive has also debarred the sale and purchase of firecrackers using e-commerce sites like Amazon and Flipkart. According to the directive issues, any police officers above the rank of head constable can book any person not abiding by the restrictions under the section188 of the Indian Penal Code on charges of disobedience to order given by public servant and hence can take legal action against him.

Several states like Karnataka, Sikkim, West Bengal, Odisha, Rajasthan have banned the use, sale and purchase of firecrackers ahead of the host of festivities around the corner, fearing an adverse impact on Covid-19patients and prevailing health crisis. The Delhi government has imposed a blanket ban on firecrackers including those branded as ‘green’ till the last day of November.