Govt bans firecrackers in public places during Diwali, Kali Puja

A day after state health minister Banna Gupta requested people to not burst firecrackers on Diwali, the state disaster management department on Tuesday banned bursting of crackers in public places. A detailed guideline for allowing crackers in private places on the lines of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) order will also be issued, officials said.
With the onset of winter, pollution emanating from crackers could pose serious problems to not just those affected with Covid, but also to those who recovered from the virus due to low immunity which could trigger respiratory issues, medical experts in the state and elsewhere had warned. They had also demanded a complete ban on crackers in the “interest of mankind amid the ongoing pandemic”.
A senior government official on condition of anonymity said, “Unlike a few other states, we didn’t resort to a complete ban of crackers as the business has already started. But the onus is on the public as the ban is limited to just public places.”
The government has also issued Kali Puja guidelines, which are more or less similar to those issued for Durga Puja, except, people have been allowed to visit pandals with a pre-condition of compliance of pandemic norms like wearing masks, maintaining social distancing and others.
Although pandals and mandaps have been allowed to hold their pujas at their traditional places, they have been asked to keep things low-key without much frills and decorations. Similar to Durga Puja, food stalls, fairs and other crowd-pullers will remain a complete no-no during Kali puja. Inside the mandap, a maximum of 15 people (organisers) will be allowed at a time.
“There shall be no welcome gates, decorative lightings, community feasts or distribution of bhog during the puja,” read the order. Use of loudspeakers within the prescribed limit of 55 decibel is allowed only from 7am-9pm for the occasion of puja/chanting of mantras, but cultural programmes/music/entertainment activities will be prohibited. Immersion processions have also been banned and idols will be immersed only at spots prescribed by the district administration.
President of the Jharkhand chapter of Indian Medical Association (IMA) A K Singh said, “Although, many people might have already bought the crackers, we still welcome the government’s decision. We appeal people to refrain from bursting crackers in the interest of the environment and mankind amid the Covid-19 pandemic.”