State bans bursting of firecrackers in public during Diwali

The Jharkhand government imposed a ban on bursting firecrackers in public places this Diwali, citing the Covid-19 pandemic, but said that a separate set of guidelines for bursting firecrackers in private places would be issued in accordance with National Green Tribunal (NGT) guidelines.

The directive, issued by the Home, Prison & Disaster Management Department, comes close on the heels of an NGT order which prohibited bursting of firecrackers until November 30 in highly polluted cities, including Jharkhand’s Dhanbad.

The Jharkhand notification permitted Kali Puja in pandals and temples across the state but prohibited the entry of visitors.

“Kali Puja pandals shall be barricaded on all the sides in a way to prevent the entry of public. Only organisers up to a maximum strength of 15 are permitted inside the barricaded pandal,” the notification, signed by chief secretary Sukhdeo Singh, stated.

The government turned down the various Kali Puja committees’ demand to allow lighting and decoration at pandals. In the notification, it stated that there should be no decoration or lighting at and around the pandals. Besides, no welcome gates should be erected. Kali Puja committees had also sought permission for distributing bhog, but the government decided against it to curb the spread of the coronavirus. The government turned down the various Kali Puja committees’ demand to allow lighting and decoration at pandals. In the notification, it stated that there should be no decoration or lighting at and around the pandals. Besides, no welcome gates should be erected. Kali Puja committees had also sought permission for distributing bhog, but the government decided against it to curb the spread of the coronavirus.