Firecrackers banned during Diwali, Kali and Chhath Puja in Bengal: Court

While hardly any crackers are used during Durga Puja – the biggest festival in West Bengal - huge amount of crackers are used during the Kali Puja and Diwali every year leading to severe air pollution.

The Calcutta High Court on Thursday banned the use of fireworks during Kali Puja, Diwali and Chhath Puja in November to check the spread of coronavirus in Bengal.

Environment and health experts have warned that chronic exposure to air pollutants is associated with severe infections and higher mortality. They feel that lungs compromised due to pollution could lead to complications like pneumonia during Covid-19. (HT File photo)

Earlier on October 19, the high court had banned the entry of visitors in Durga Puja pandals and mandated putting up of barricades, declaring them as no-entry zones. The result was that West Bengal witnessed a muted Durga Puja this year.

“The high court has extended the Durga Puja restrictions on Kali Puja. Entry of visitors has been banned while capping the number of puja committee members who can enter the pandal at a time,” said Sabyasachi Chatterjee, the lawyer who filed the PIL based on which the orders were passed.

Chief minister Mamata Banerjee said despite Durga Puja festivities there has been no alarming spike in Covid-19 cases. Earlier, doctors had warned there could be a three to four-fold rise in Covid-19 cases if restrictions were relaxed during the puja.

“I would thank the administration and the puja committees for maintaining peace and following Covid-19 restrictions. Next we have the Kali Puja, Jagadhatri Puja and Chhath Puja. We need to follow restrictions so that there is no further spread. There would be no immersion procession,” said Banerjee.

While hardly any crackers are used during Durga Puja – the biggest festival in West Bengal - huge amount of crackers are used during the Kali Puja and Diwali every year leading to severe air pollution. The Air Quality Index of Kolkata turned poor after Diwali in 2019.

Environment and health experts have warned that chronic exposure to air pollutants is associated with severe infections and higher mortality. They feel that lungs compromised due to pollution could lead to complications like pneumonia during Covid-19.

“The court has banned the sale and use of fireworks and crackers during Kali Puja, Diwali and Chhath Puja this year. There would be no immersion processions this year,” said Chatterjee.

In its preliminary observations, the bench also said that gathering of people at Rabindra Sarobar and Subhash Sarobar, two of the city’s largest lakes, should be avoided.

“It is a welcome order. This would help to bring down the pollution after Diwali which could have aggravated the Covid-19 situation,” said Subhas Dutta, environment lawyer.