Admin issues orders for Diwali celebrations

Gurugram The district administration on Friday issued orders, regulating the use of firecrackers and warned of penal action against violators under the Explosives

Gurugram The district administration on Friday issued orders, regulating the use of firecrackers and warned of penal action against violators under the Explosives Act, 1984. The order also states that crackers, as allowed by the Supreme Court, may be used only between 8pm and 10pm until October 28.

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“Crackers with reduced emission (improved crackers) and green crackers will only be permitted to be manufactured and sold,” states Friday’s order, authorised by deputy commissioner Amit Khatri. The order also states that crackers can be bought only from licensed traders.

The manufacture and sale of “joined firecrackers” or “laris” have been completely prohibited. “Laris are some of the most popular firecrackers, but also among the most harmful, which leave behind the most amount of solid waste,” said Kuldeep Singh, regional officer, HSPCB, Gurugram.

In addition to prosecution under the Explosives Act, violators will also be liable for prosecution under the Air Act, he added.

Moreover, the order also instructs the HSPCB to carry out short-term monitoring of polluting agents — mainly aluminium, barium and iron — in addition to the parameters already being recorded under the National Ambient Air Quality Standards. “These three metals indicate the extent of firecracker use in an area,” said Singh. He added that the data, once processed, can also help in identifying the quantum of firecrackers that the city consumed in a given time frame.