CHANDIGARH: The Punjab and Haryana High Court Friday directed both the Punjab and Haryana government and the Chandigarh administration to limit the time to burst crackers on Diwali to three hours in the regions. In its order, the court said crackers can be burst only between 6.30 pm and 9.30 pm in both states and Chandigarh on the day of Diwali. The court had taken suo moto cognisance of the use of firecrackers during Diwali, for preventing air pollution in the region.
To ensure the implementation of the order, the court directed all deputy commissioners (DC) and senior superintendents of police in both states and Chandigarh to monitor the situation. It also urged NGOs, volunteers and Police Control Room vehicles to keep an eye on people violating the order. Additionally, the court ordered the issue of licences to sell crackers through a draw of lots. The court ordered that permission would only be given by the DC and he would not confer his powers to other officers. It also said that the DC would designate the area for selling crackers and safeguards would be ensured by the licensee. No permanent licence would be issued.
The court also restricted the percentage of licences compared to previous years. Counsel for the Chandigarh administration apprised the court that no temporary licence has been issued for sale of firecrackers and only one permanent licence has been provided. To date, about 361 applications have been received seeking temporary licence for sale of firecrackers on the occasion of Diwali, the court noted.
The next hearing in the case will be held on October 24. The HC had sought the response of the authorities while taking note of the issue of pollution caused by firecrackers and had appointed senior advocate Anupam Gupta as amicus curiae to assist it in the matter. Gupta also said as per the court’s orders, sale and marketing of firecrackers will take place only at places designated by the DCs and not elsewhere.