Odisha Limits Bursting Firecrackers To 9PM On Diwali; Check OSPCB Guidelines

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha State Pollution Control Board (OSPCB) on Tuesday issued guidelines for bursting crackers during Diwali, which falls on November 1.

It has limited the timing for bursting crackers to 7 pm-9pm and maximum noise level for firecrackers to 125 decibel. There is also a ban on bursting crackers within 100m of silence zones like hospitals and religious places.

The guidelines are as follows:

>> Celebrate Deepawali by lightning diyas only and bursting firecrackers between 7 pm and 9 pm. only. Also avoid bursting a series of firecrackers and those generating a peak noise level of 125 dBA.

> Firecrackers should not be burst near gardens/parks, in silence zone such as areas comprising 100 metres around hospitals, educational institutions, courts, religion places etc. as declared by the competent authority.

> Only green fire crackers are allowed in open areas.

> Avoid using firecrackers near slum and structures that are easily flammable and on road and busy traffic. .

> Children below 10 years are not allowed to burst sound-generating firecrackers. Wear cotton cloths while bursting firecrackers.

> The Supreme Court has also banned production and sale of crackers except green crackers. Use of Barium and other banned chemicals in firecrackers has also been prohibited.