Bhubaneswar: In a bid to ensure a green and clean Diwali, the Commissionerate Police has prepared a blueprint as per the Supreme Court directive.
In view of the rising air pollution in Bhubaneswar, police allowed the cracker shops to sell only green crackers. Traders who sell big sound and smoke-emitting crackers will be strictly dealt with, police said. People are allowed to burst crackers between 8 pm and 10 pm. High sound smoke emitting crackers are prohibited within 100 meters of hospitals, educational institutions, courts and places of worship.
The Commissionerate Police has warned that action will be taken against those who violate the rules.
Along with air pollution, noise pollution also creates hazardous conditions. A lot of fire accidents also happen during Diwali.
Keeping all these aspects in view, the police prepared a blue-print. Out of 500 cracker traders applied for licenses, about 90 percent were granted permission. They will set up makeshift stalls in big open spaces like Bermunda, Rasulgarh, Chandrashekharpur, Jatani. Fire safety will also be given importance at cracker-selling places.
DCP Prateek Singh formed two special teams to check whether the traders are selling green crackers or not.
The pollution board officials and the fire brigade headed by two ACPs will jointly inspect the cracker stores.
The DCP also instructed every police station to be alert and keep a close watch on the cracker traders in their jurisdiction.
Patrolling teams will keep constant vigil to ensure that people burst crackers within the stipulated time. Those who violate the rules will be identified and legal action will be taken, said the DCP.
