Ludhiana: Permits issues for sale of crackers at 37 shops

Of the total, 13 cracker shops will be set up at the grain market near Jalandhar bypass, five at Model Town Extension, four at Dugri Phase 2 near Dugri police station, nine at GLADA ground on Chandigarh Road, three at Chaara Mandi, Haibowal, on Hambran road and three in a ground near Lodhi Club road in Ludhiana

The district administration issued 37 temporary licences for the sale of firecrackers ahead of Diwali, on Tuesday. As many as 582 applications were received for the licences and the allottees were selected through a draw of lots conducted at Bachat Bhawan in mini-secretariat.

The 37 cracker shops are to be set up at six locations in Ludhiana and the sale will be allowed from October 29 to November 4. (HT File)

The 37 shops are to be set up at six locations in the city and the sale will be allowed from October 29 to November 4 (Diwali).

Of the total, 13 shops will be set up at the grain market near Jalandhar bypass, five at Model Town Extension, four at Dugri Phase 2 near Dugri police station, nine at GLADA ground on Chandigarh Road, three at Chaara Mandi, Haibowal, on Hambran road and three in a ground near Lodhi Club road.

Joint commissioner of police (headquarters) J Elanchezhian said temporary licences have been issued as per the directions received from the Punjab and Haryana high court in the past. “The applicants were allowed to submit the applications on October 21 and 22 and the draw of lots was conducted peacefully on Tuesday. The licensee can establish the temporary shop at the designated sites and the sale will be allowed from October 29 to November 4,” he said.

Traders rue foul play

Meanwhile, a few retailers and wholesalers cried foul over the application submission process. Tribhuvan Thapar, one of the traders, said it was mandatory to show experience in the trade to avail the licence.

“Flouting norms, many of the residents used the previous licences of other traders to show experience and submitted the applications. Due to this, 582 applications were submitted for 37 licences only. The department also failed to scrutinise the applications, due to which many of the actual traders have not been able to avail the licence during draw of lots,” he said.

“Now many of the residents, who are not in the trade of firecrackers, have availed the licence and they will now sub-let the licence to traders who have not been able to avail the licence. The licensee will charge a hefty amount for subletting the licence,” said Thapar.