A day after the Gurugram district administration allowed a two-hour window for bursting green crackers on Deepavali, the Haryana Disaster Management Authority on Sunday put a blanket ban on all kinds of firecrackers in the State’s 14 districts falling under the National Capital Region (NCR).
The two-page order said, “In view of the various directions of the National Green Tribunal and the Supreme Court, there would be a total ban on the sale or use of all kinds of firecrackers in the 14 NCR districts.” The order said the bursting of crackers could affect the respiratory health of vulnerable groups.
Exceptions outside NCR
Outside the NCR, in the cities and towns in Haryana with “moderate” or below air quality as per the average ambient air quality in November last year, green crackers can be burst between 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. on the day of Deepavali. For Chhath Puja, crackers can be burst for two hours from 6 a.m. However, community bursting of firecrackers will be promoted in these areas.
The District Magistrate, Gurugram, on Saturday allowed bursting of green crackers from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. on November 4.
People thronged the cracker shops on Sunday, oblivious of the fresh directions. “I read in the newspaper about the directions allowing a two-hour window for bursting of crackers. It has come as a huge relief as my son had been nagging me to buy crackers,” said Virender Sharma, a resident of Sector 63, while buying firecrackers at a wholesale store in Gadauli Khurd village.
Another customer Manoj, who bought a sack full of crackers, said he was not aware of any court directions banning crackers. “Where is the ban? Crackers are freely available and people are openly buying them,” he said.
Ashok Kumar, owner of Stars Night store, said the sale of firecrackers was stopped in the evening after the police informed them about the fresh directions.
