HC seeks govt response.
HC seeks govt response.
In a bid to crackdown on the sale of Chinese crackers ahead of Diwali, the Delhi government on Tuesday constituted 11 teams at the district level. The government has asked the Delhi police to issue minimum number of licences to curb the Chinese crackers inundating the markets. However, the traders claimed that crackers that were imported before are easily available on sale.
In a review meeting attended by senior officials of DPCC, police, SDMs and deputy commissioners among others, environment minister Imran Hussain on Tuesday directed that strict action be taken against those found violating norms.
“The 11-district-wise inspecting teams of area SDMs and executive engineers (DPCC) constituted to check availability of imported firecrackers in the market should enhance their field inspections. The team(s) of officers from Licensing Unit constituted to check godowns randomly for availability of imported firecrackers in the market should augment their vigilance and field visits,” an official statement said.
It was also decided that minimum number of licences should be given to sell fireworks and licences issued to be put on website. “Only authorised sound emitting crackers (sound level not exceeding 125 decibels or 145 decibels at four metre distance from the point of bursting) as well as colour and light emitting crackers having sound level not exceeding 90 decibels should be allowed with composition, size and design as per ministry of commerce guidelines,” sources said.
The environment minister had convened a similar review meet on October 13 where he had directed the authorities to enforce the high court’s orders regarding noise pollution and prevention especially relating to complete ban on bursting of sound emitting firecrackers between 10 pm to 6 am.
Traders, however, admitted that Chinese crackers are easily available in Sadar Bazar, which is a wholesale market of the firecrackers. Some traders also expressed their lack of awareness on the government’s ban on these crackers.
Meanwhile, the Delhi high court sought the government’s response on a PIL alleging lack of uniformity in the grant of temporary licences for sale of firecrackers from shops and tin sheds during Diwali.
