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Cracker ban to stay in Chandigarh
Rejecting the review representation made by city-based traders’ association, UT adviser Manoj Parida said the order needs no modification or relaxation.
The ban on firecrackers will continue without any relaxation, the Chandigarh administration decided on Thursday.
Rejecting the review representation made by a city-based traders’ association, UT adviser Manoj Parida said the order issued on November 6 under the Disaster Management Act, banning sale and use of firecrackers in the city, needs no modification or relaxation.
The Punjab and Haryana high court on Wednesday had denied any relief to Chandigarh Cracker Dealers Association, which had challenged the UT administration’s order. Refusing to intervene in the matter, the court had told the dealers to approach the administration instead with a representation of their grievance.
“The number of Covid cases is rising in Chandigarh. The pollution caused by bursting of crackers is likely to aggravate the situation further by adversely affecting the air quality. Despite restrictive hours for bursting crackers last Diwali, the air quality remained very poor in Chandigarh,” Parida said in his order in response to the traders’ representation.
The adviser also quoted the National Green Tribunal order on the cracker ban on November 9, which states that “if there are more stringent measures under orders of the (local) authorities, the same will prevail”.
‘Stall allotment was conditional’
The traders had opposed the decision to ban crackers just a week before Diwali, stating it would lead to heavy losses. Traders had contended that they already purchased their stock and the administration had also conducted draw of lots for the allotment of stalls for cracker sale.
However, Parida said that while conducting the draw of lots, it had been “clarified categorically that the allotment will be subject to a final decision by the UT administration regarding imposition of any ban on crackers”.
“The applicants (association) were specifically asked not to go for advance purchase of crackers until November 6. A letter was also written to the president, Chandigarh Cracker Dealer Association, on November 5, stating that the purchase of crackers should be kept on hold,” the adviser said in his order.
