Lucknow, other UP cities ban firecrackers this Diwali, traders stare at losses

Firecracker trader bodies plan to meet the chief minister and divisional commissioner to present their case

Uttar Pradesh government’s ban on sale and bursting of firecrackers in Lucknow and 12 other cities has come as a huge blow to the traders. While the state government is only complying with the orders of the National Green Tribunal, and has imposed the ban only in cities where the air quality index was either poor, very poor or severe last Diwali, losses to the firecracker business are hard to be missed.

UP govt has banned sale and bursting of firecrackers in Lucknow and 12 other cities. (File photo)

In the state capital alone, firecracker traders are staring at losses to the tune of Rs 20 crore.

“As per the state government’s order, we have cancelled all firecracker and related licences in the city,” said Lucknow district magistrate Abhishek Prakash. Varanasi administration has also gone ahead with a complete ban on sale and bursting of firecrackers from midnight of November 9 to midnight of November 30. District magistrate Kaushal Raj Sharma has cancelled all licences to sell firecrackers with immediate effect.

The traders call the decision “unjust”.“We are not opposing the ban. But why couldn’t this have been done earlier? The ban has come just ahead of Diwali when traders are ready with their stock. Who will be responsible for their losses?” asked Akhilesh Gupta, a dealer and convener of firecracker traders’ association.

This year, Gupta said, traders were anyway selling only green crackers — the ones made as per the directions of the Supreme Court. “Not all firecracker traders are well off. There are many who have taken loan from the market. The (ban) order will certain push many traders to the verge of bankruptcy,” he added.

Mahesh Gupta, general secretary, Lucknow Cracker Traders’ Association, said, “Either we should be allowed to sell crackers or we must be compensated by the state government.”

“Our officer-bearers will meet the CM and divisional commissioner to present our case,” said Satish Mishra, another office-bearer of cracker traders’ association.

He said, “I don’t know why only firecrackers are being targeted while major pollutants such as construction sites, thermal power plants, cement industries and vehicles plying on road are not banned.”