Bhubaneswar: Permission has been given for opening temporary markets for selling the firecrackers at 25 locations in the Odisha capital, Bhubaneswar DCP Pinak Mishra informed on Monday.
He said that 200 of 465 applicants have been given licence for selling crackers. “The remaining applicants will be provided licence if they abide by the guidelines,” he said.
Only green crackers can be sold and burst during Diwali in accordance with the Supreme Court guidelines.
The DCP said that the sellers cannot stock more than 300 kg of crackers at their shops. “One cluster will have around 50 shops. There should be at least 3-metre gap between the two cracker shops. Each cracker shop should have vacant space up to 50 metre on the front for evacuating people in case of any mishap. The shop should be covered with tin and equipped with fire extinguishers, wet sacks, and sand-filled drums,” he said.
A special team of Commissionerate police will keep vigil on the shops. “The shopkeepers have been asked to adhere to guidelines issued by the Fire Service department as well Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation guidelines. In violation of the rule, action will be taken as per the law,” Mishra added.