Punjab government on Tuesday announced a two-hour windowfor bursting green firecrackers on the occasion of Diwali and Gurpurb acrossthe state. Due to poor air quality index (AQI) levels, the state government hasimposed a blanket ban in Jalandhar and Mandi Gobindgarh from Wednesday midnightonwards.
The Punjab Department of Science, Technology, andEnvironment issued an order governing the manufacturing, stock, distribution,sale and use of joined firecrackers also known as laries in Punjab; and onlygreen crackers would be allowed for sale and use.
According to the government order, cracker bursting ispermitted between 8 pm and 10 pm on Diwali. On Christmas and New Year's Eve,the duration of the fireworks has been limited to 35 minutes.
On Christmas Eve people can burst crackers from 11:55p.m. to 12:30 a.m., and on New Year's Eve, from 11:55 p.m. to 12:30 a.m.
"Only green crackers (those crackers that do notinclude barium salts or antimony, lithium, mercury, arsenic, lead, orstrontium, chromate will be allowed for sale and use in Punjab", accordingto the report.
Only licenced traders will be able to sell firecrackers,according to government regulation.
Also, e-commerce websites like Flipkart, Amazon etc areordered not to accept any online orders of crackers from the state of Punjab.Punjab Pollution Control Board has been asked to monitor the bursting ofcrackers in the key cities.
“Any violation of the directions aforementioned willinvite immediate penal action under Section 15 of the environment Act, 1986besides legal action under section 188 of the IPC and other provisions.”
What are green crackers?
Green crackers are low-emission fireworks that theSupreme Court has approved for modest celebrations during festivals. Accordingto the Supreme Court's instructions, it is made using less harmful rawmaterials. Instead of toxic compounds like lithium, arsenic, barium, and lead,the green crackers release water vapour, which prevents dust from rising.
Firecrackers were prohibited by the government last year.The use is being controlled this year by striking a balance between thepandemic situation and the economic impact on small traders.