Ahead of festive season, Chandigarh bans firecrackers

Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, November 6

Ahead of the festive season, Chandigarh administration on Friday has imposed a ban on firecrackers. 

This major decision comes under the Disaster Management Act. 

Recently, the administration had put the issuance of temporary licences for selling crackers on hold despite holding a draw of lots. 

In a meeting for COVID-19 pandemic, the UT Administrator VP Singh Badnore had said: "Doctors have shared, that toxic air rising out of crackers is likely to affect the lungs, and hence, the residents should avoid or minimise bursting of firecrackers during the festival season."  

"There is a need to keep the city pollution-free so, that there was no resurgence of lung diseases or COVID cases," he concluded.  

The UT Adviser Manoj Parida said that the ban has been imposed until further orders under the Disaster Management Act. 

The order reads: 

"In exercise of the powers conferred on the undersigned as Chairperson of the Disaster Executive Committee of State Disaster.

Management Authority, hereby orders, a complete ban on sale or use of crackers of any kind, throughout the Union Territory of Chandigarh.

These directions are issued as a containment measure to prevent the risk of spread of COVID-19, due to the polluted atmosphere created by bursting of crackers. These orders will come into force with immediate effect, and will remain in force until further orders.

Any violation of the orders will invite penal action under Section 51 to 60 of Disaster Management Act, 2005 besides legal action under Section 188 of the IPC and other provisions as applicable".

Earlier in the day, Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa said the state government will be issuing an order banning the use of firecrackers during Deepavali, due to prevailing COVID-19 pandemic situation.

"We have discussed it (cracker ban), we are taking a decision to ban the use of firecrackers during Deepavali..the government will soon be issuing an order to this effect," Yediyurappa said.

Several states including Rajasthan, Odisha, Delhi have already decided to ban firecrackers. — With PTI