India
The shops holding licences allowing them to sell firecrackers are inoperative since they do not have products that conform to the Supreme Court’s directives
New Delhi: Following an advertisement by Delhi Police saying that the sale of non-green firecrackers would invite police action, the Capital is geared for a Diwali without firecrackers.
The Supreme Court had announced last month that only green crackers could be used in the Delhi-NCR region especially with the smog and air pollution in the area.
Meanwhile, police officials also confirmed that no licences will be given to retailers as many do not have products that conform to the guidelines laid down by the top court. Even the shops having licences allowing them to sell crackers will be closed since their products do not match the guidelines either.
“We will not be issuing permits to anyone to sell firecrackers this Diwali. The applicants for temporary licences do not have green firecrackers and are not in a position to procure them before Diwali. We have taken the decision to enforce the Supreme Court order on sale and use of firecrackers,” said Madhur Verma, Delhi Police spokesperson told Hindustan Times.
Officials in Noida, Ghaziabad and Gurugram too said that no licenses have been issued for traders to sell firecrackers in the satellite towns. However, the licence can be provided if the seller proves that the product is a green cracker.
Though the sale of firecrackers was banned last year too but people, who had procured them from outside, were free to use them.
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