35 licences issued in P’kula

Panchkula, October 16

The administration today held a draw for issuing temporary licence to sell crackers at 35 sites. These included 13 in Panchkula, 10 Kalka, five Pinjore, three Raipur Rani and two each in Barwala and Ramgarh.

In Panchkula city, the 13 sites have been earmarked at the Sector 5 Hafed ground. While 10 stalls would be installed in the Government College, Kalka, crackers will be sold at five sites in the Sabzi Mandi, Pinjore.

The administration had received a total of 273 applications, including 130 for the city.

DC Gauri Parashar Joshi said as per directions of the High Court, they issued only 20 per cent of the number of licences issued last year.

For the effective implementation of the HC directions on bursting of crackers, the DC has already formed a five-member committee. The committee has the City Magistrate, the CEO, Zila Parishad, district informatics officer, district public relations officer and regional officer of Haryana State Pollution Control Board as members. — TNS

28% GST on crackers

Officials in the district administration informed the dealers that they would have to pay 28 per cent GST on the sale of crackers.