The Punjab government on Tuesday announced a two-hour window to burst green firecrackers on Diwali and Gurpurb across the state. It has imposed a complete ban in Jalandhar and Mandi Gobindgarh, from the Wednesday midnight onwards on account of poor air quality index (AQI) levels.
The state government has banned manufacture, stock, distribution, sale and use of joined firecrackers in Punjab and added that only green crackers would be allowed for sale and use, a report in The Indian Express said.
The government order said that during Diwali, bursting of crackers shall be allowed from 8 to 10 pm. The fireworks timing has been restricted to 35 minutes on the Christmas and New Year Eve. The bursting of crackers will be allowed from 11:55 pm to 12:30 am on Christmas and from 11:55 pm to 12:30 am on New Year.
“Only the green crackers (those crackers that do not use barium salts or compounds of antimony, lithium, mercury arsenic, lead or strontium, chromate) would be allowed for sale and use in Punjab,” the report quoted the government notification.
The government order added that only licensed traders will be allowed to sell firecrackers. It directed the state government to promote community cracker busting to reduce pollution.
Green crackers are low-emission fireworks, which are permitted by the Supreme Court for celebrations to a moderate degree during festivals. It is produced with less harmful raw materials, in accordance with instructions issued by the apex court. The green crackers doesn’t contain harmful chemicals like lithium, arsenic, barium, and lead and instead release water vapour that does not allow the dust to rise.
The government last year had banned the firecrackers. The notification reads that this year, the use is being regulated by drawing a balance between the pandemic situation and the economic impact on small traders.
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