Only green crackers to be allowed in Punjab for a short duration on Diwali, says minister Meet Hayer

Chandigarh, October 27

Punjab Environment Minister Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer on Friday said that in compliance with the directions of the Supreme Court, National Green Tribunal, Punjab and Haryana High Court and the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, the state government is encouraging the use of green crackers.

He said that as the festive season of Diwali, Gurpurab, Christmas and New Year is approaching, the Department of Science, Technology and Environment is allowing only green crackers that do not use barium salt or compounds of antimony, lithium, mercury, arsenic, lead or strontium chromate.

Meet Hayer said only green crackers could be busted on Diwali (from 8 pm to 10 pm), on Gurpurab (from 4 am to 5 am and from 9 pm to 10 pm), Christmas (from 11.55 pm to 12.30 am) and New Year eve (from 11.55 pm to 12.30 am).

The manufacture, distribution, stock, sale and use of joined fire crackers (series of crackers) is banned in the state. The sale will be through licensed traders for the permitted firecrackers only.

Meet Hayer said no e-commerce websites, including Flipkart and Amazon, would accept online orders for crackers in Punjab.

The Punjab Pollution Control Board will carry out short-term monitoring in select cities.

Meet Hayer said the police authorities would ensure the sale and use of allowed green firecrackers during the permitted time and at designated places, adding that any violation of the directions would invite immediate penal action.

He also appealed to the public to encourage community fire-cracking at pre-identified areas/fields designated by the authorities concerned.