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Chandigarh admn’s cracker ban goes for a toss during Dussehra effigy burning
Crackers burst in the presence of Chandigarh BJP president Arun Sood at Sector 34, despite the local SDM warning against it ahead of the function
Not giving two hoots to the administration’s ban on their use, several effigies were burnt with firecrackers on Dussehra in the city.
Use of firecrackers was reported at the events held in Sectors 34, 28 and Maloya, while residents also unabashedly burst them in the streets throughout the city.
According to police, they were in the process of registering at least five FIRs for the violation and another for sale of firecrackers.
In Sector 34, even though the sub-divisional magistrate (South) reached the spot to warn the organisers against bursting crackers, city BJP chief Arun Sood took to the stage to tell them to continue with the programme as usual.
Sood spoke about how the festival was even more important this year as the construction of Ram Mandir has started in Ayodhya, and claimed that they had the necessary permissions to carry on with the event.
This was followed by burning of three effigies with crackers installed.
Later Sood said, “Why was the ban only for Chandigarh, and not for Panchkula and Mohali? Celebrating Dussehra with crackers is essential to respect the religious sentiments of people.”
President of the Azaad Dramatic Club in Sector 20, that organised the event, Gulshan Kumar said, “The crackers used were much lesser than previous years. When so many people have gathered to celebrate Dussehra, it is important to honour their wishes.”
SDM (South) Rupesh Kumar, meanwhile, said, “The organisers behaved very irresponsibly despite being warned. Under the guise of the crowd, they deliberately broke the rules. They will face action.”
In Sector 28, one of the organisers, Mukesh Sharma, said, “The orders came too late. We had already set up crackers in effigies at a cost of ₹2 lakh. Removing them would have disfigured the effigies.”
Violators to face police action
Superintendent of police (SP, City) Ketan Bansal said, “Police are investigating the matter and cases will be registered against those found at fault.”
Sources said police will be registering cases under Section 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) of the Indian Penal Code against the organisers of the celebrations at Sectors 28 and 34, Bapu Dham Colony in Sector 26, Subhash Nagar in Manimajra and Maloya.
The SDM (South) also sealed Garg General Store in Sector 42 for selling crackers and a separate FIR will be registered in this regard.
Congress, AAP hit out at BJP
Chandigarh Congress president Subhash Chawla said, “It seems that the administration and the BJP are in cahoots. The bureaucrats cannot enforce their orders, they should resign and go back to their parent state.”
AAP Chandigarh co-incharge Pradeep Chabbra added, “The administration should not take such decisions at the last minute. It seems that the administration is under pressure from the BJP. They must ensure similar confusion doesn’t take place on Diwali.”
Others find novel ways to celebrate
Thinking out of the box, the organisers of the event at Parade Ground, Sector 17, used an audio recording to simulate bursting firecrackers for a gathering of nearly 400. In Sector 46 as well, an effigy was burnt without crackers.
As such the festival had no impact on the city’s air quality. While the AQI was 300 around 2pm, it went down to 187 by 8.30pm, as recorded at the air quality monitoring station in Sector 22.
Covid norms flouted
Covid protocols were disregarded at most locations. Over a 1,000 people gathered in Sector 34, where cops remained busy managing the traffic and could not keep a check on people not maintaining social distance and not wearing masks.
In Mohali district, too, huge crowds gathered for celebrations at 14 places, including at the Dussehra grounds in Phases 1 and 8.
This led to long queues of vehicles on the main roads in Phases 1, 7, 8 and 9, and Sector 70. Housing societies across the tricity also torched smaller effigies as part of simpler celebrations.
A 100-feet-tall effigy of Ravana was burnt in Ambala’s Barara town. It was set up by Shri Ramlila Club that had erected a 221-foot effigy in Chandigarh in 2019. Several other associations also organised celebrations in various blocks of the district.
