KENDRAPARA: Diwali in Kendrapara district and nearby areas this year is expected to be less noisy and more eco-friendly owing to ban on high-decibel crackers and bursting of crackers restricted to two hours from 8 pm to 10 pm.
“Around 60 cracker makers in the district are focusing on manufacturing low-decibel crackers due to change in people’s preferences and imposition of the apex court’s order,” said Sarat Behera, a cracker maker of Garapur village on the outskirts of Kendrapara town.
Bijaya Behera, a cracker maker from Kapileswar village, said consumers nowadays prefer low-decibel crackers. He added that cracker manufacturers have shifted to gun powder from metal powder this year. “This would help in reducing air pollution, making the festival more eco-friendly,” Bijaya said.
However, some cracker makers expressed their angst over the Supreme Court order. Gobinda Sahoo, a cracker maker of Garapur village, said the apex court’s decision to ban manufacture, sale and use of loud firecrackers has put the fire cracker manufacturers of the district in a fix. He said several cracker makers have already manufactured high-decibel crackers in the district and nearby areas.
Sources said a large number of cracker manufacturing units are being run in a clandestine manner at Kapileswar, Garapur, Baro and other villages. “Several such units have no licence. Some even operate from the backyard of houses flouting all fire safety norms,” said Amarbara Biswal, a social worker of Kendrapara.
Contacted, Kendrapara Sub-Collector Sanjaya Mishra said, “The district administration has provided licences to 14 persons to operate fire cracker units in the district.” Action will be taken against all illegal cracker units, he added.