Odisha Puts Restrictions On Bursting Of Firecrackers During Diwali

Bhubaneswar: With the Supreme Court ordering a ban on firecrackers in view of alarming pollution, the State Pollution Control Board, Odisha has imposed restrictions on bursting of crackers on Diwali in the state.

Only green crackers will be allowed during Diwali celebrations, while use of chemical firecrackers having barium nitrate has been prohibited, sources said.

The move came after the Supreme Court on Tuesday made it clear that the order banning firecrackers containing barium nitrate binds every state and is not just confined to Delhi-NCR region.

Following curbs imposed by the authorities, people in Odisha will be allowed to burst permissible crackers between 6 am and 10 pm on Diwali.

According to SPCB member secretary K Murugesan, crackers which can produce sound of more than 125 decibel have been banned by the board. Letters will be issued to all district administrations in this regard.

As per the guidelines, people can burst crackers between 6 am and 10 pm on the day of Diwali. Bursting crackers within 100-meter radius of educational institutions, healthcare facilities and religious institutions will not be allowed. The district administrations will ensure adherence to the guidelines.

The administrations will form squads to check violations. Members of the board will be part of the squads to measure sound emitting from firecrackers, he said, adding that police will take action against the violators, he said.