Ludhiana: Following HC orders, police issue 40 licences to firecracker traders

Ashok Thapar, chairman of the Ludhiana Wholesale Fireworks Association, said that before 2017, the police used to give 66 licences to traders every year for selling firecrackers and they used to set the shops one month before Diwali

Firecracker traders received major relief from the Punjab and Haryana high court following which the police issued 40 licences to the traders on Friday for storing and selling firecrackers on Saturday in a draw. The process for installing makeshift shops in the grain market near Jalandhar bypass has been initiated.

Earlier, the police were issuing 13 licences to the traders to install shops near Diwali for the past six years. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Earlier, the police were issuing 13 licences to the traders to install shops near Diwali for the past six years.

Ashok Thapar, chairman of the Ludhiana Wholesale Fireworks Association, said that before 2017, the police used to give 66 licences to traders every year for selling firecrackers and they used to set the shops one month before Diwali. Following a writ petition in 2017, the court ordered to reduce the number of licences and time period for selling crackers following which the police reduced the licences to 13 from 66. They used to get licences for eight days only before Diwali.

Thapar added that in 2022, the Punjab and Haryana high court had given some relaxation to the traders, but it was not implemented following which they filed another application in the court on October 27. The court ordered the local authorities to issue 50 licences to the traders.

Thapar added that following the space crunch in the grain market they pursued for 40 shops only. In a draw, the police issued the licences on Saturday.