Maharashtra government orders strict compliance of restrictions on firecrackers

The Maharashtra government has issued directives to senior officials to ensure compliance of the Supreme Court's order putting restrictions on the sale and bursting of firecrackers. 

The Supreme Court last month permitted sale and manufacture of low emission "green" firecrackers countrywide and fixed a two-hour time period from 8 pm to 10 pm for bursting them on Diwali and other festivals. 

The state government sent letters to the director general of police, divisional commissioners, police commissioners and superintendents of police across the state on November 3 with regard to the SC order, a senior official said Tuesday. 

The letter also directed the authorities to take action against the illegal sale of firecrackers, said Amitabh Gupta, principal secretary (special). "Directions have been issued to the police to keep a tab on the compliance of time restriction," he told PTI. In the wake of the Supreme Court's order, the sale of firecrackers in Mumbai has witnessed a sharp decline, a seller in suburban Kurla said. 

"The sale has fallen to almost half compared to the last year... it (the order) has certainly hit our business," he said. 

A share broker said that with the Supreme Court restricting the time during which firecrackers can be burst, traders may have to wind up the puja on Laxmi Pujan day of Diwali a little earlier. Firecrackers are burst on a large scale after the puja. 

"The court allowed bursting of firecrackers for two hours, from 8 pm to 10 pm. Laxmi puja time is between 6 pm to 8.30 pm. So we will have to wind up the puja in a hurry (so as to burst firecrackers)," said Pramod Harlalka, a sub-broker in the stock market.

(With inputs from agencies.)