Haryana announces cracker ban in NCR cities

After the National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Monday announced a complete ban on sale and use of all types of firecrackers in Delhi and the National Capital Region

After the National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Monday announced a complete ban on sale and use of all types of firecrackers in Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR), the Haryana administration followed suit late Monday, banning crackers in its NCR districts.

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On Monday night, chief secretary Vijai Vardhan issued an order directing all district magistrates, police officials and Haryana State Pollution Control Board officials to implement the NGT order with immediate effect. The order stated that enforcement guidelines may be issued in consonance with the direction of the NGT.

The Haryana government’s stance on sale and bursting of firecrackers has changed over the last few days. On Friday, chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar announced a complete ban on the sale of firecrackers to prevent air pollution. Two days after the announcement, the state administration issued an order, relaxing norms pertaining to bursting of firecrackers. Khattar, in Fatehabad on Sunday, changed his stance and had said that people will be permitted to burst firecrackers, but only for two hours on Diwali.

On Sunday, chief secretary Vardhan, who is also the chairperson of Haryana State Disaster Management Authority, issued an order stating that fireworks will be allowed between 8pm and 10pm on the day of the festival. However, earlier on Monday, he said, “A revised order will be issued by the state administration after going through the NGT order.”

The NGT order bans firecrackers in NCR from the midnight of November 9 to the midnight of November 30. Earlier this week, the NGT had sought responses from states in the NCR on banning firecrackers.

An earlier order issued by the state on Sunday, which permitted fireworks for a limited time period, stated that the decision was taken to strike a balance between the potentially harmful consequences of bursting of crackers amid the Covid-19 pandemic as well as the economic impact on small traders. However, this order will be void in NCR districts, following the blanket ban announced by the NGT.

The state is currently under the double burden of having severe air quality index and Covid-19, both of which is adversely affecting the respiratory health of vulnerable groups.

Meanwhile, the police department has designated 40 special teams across the city to keep a check and take action against violators found defying the state government’s order with regard to crackers.

KK Rao, the commissioner of police, said that apart from the special teams, they have deployed six additional teams of crime investigation unit to keep a check in condominiums located along Golf Course Road, Sohna Road and Golf Course Extension Road. “Strict instructions have been given to each station house officer (SHO) to ensure that residents in their areas adhere to the rules and regulations laid down by the administration. Anyone found flouting the order shall be punished under Section 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC),” he said.

The police have also directed all the residents’ welfare association (RWA) members to circulate guidelines to the residents of their areas, urging them not to burst crackers or plan gatherings. All Diwali celebrations have been cancelled to prevent the spread of Covid-19, the police said.

Market association members have been asked to maintain social distancing and not allow more than two people at a time inside any shop. “Any shopkeeper found attending to anyone without a mask will be penalised and booked under Section 188 of the IPC. It has been seen that people are carelessly moving around, not wearing face masks or maintaining social distance,” said Rao.

The police said that the control room has received 113 calls from residents to check if they can burst crackers wearing masks. More than 200 calls were regarding the difference between green crackers and normal crackers and how to differentiate between them, said the police.

The police have booked 32 people in the last two days for bursting crackers in residential areas, despite repeated warnings.

An earlier order from the district administration had stated that Diwali celebrations will be allowed only at designated places — Huda grounds in sectors 5 and 29, Bhaktawar Singh Chowk in Sector 47, Beri Wala Bagh near Mini Secretariat, Tau Devi Lal Stadium in Sohna, the open space near Aggarwal Dharamshala in Haily Mandi, the Purana Ramleela Ground in Farrukhnagar and Huda ground in Pataudi’s Sector 1. However, this order would not be in effect after the NGT banned the use of firecrackers.