Chandigarh: The Punjab government has banned online sale of firecrackers and allowed only green crackers that too during the short duration on Diwali, Gurupurab, Christmas and New Year.
State Environment Minister Gurmeet Singh Meet Hare said that the decision has been taken based on the directives issued by the Supreme Court, National Green Tribunal (NGT), Punjab and Haryana High Court and Ministry of Climate Change. He said that the Department of Science, Technology and Environment will allow only green crackers containing barium salt or antimony, lithium, mercury, arsenic, lead or strontium while combinations of chromate in firecrackers would not be permitted.
Hare said that on Diwali green crackers would be allowed from 8:00 pm to 10:00 pm while on Gurpurab the duration would be from 4:00 am to 5:00 pm and 9:00 pm to 10:00 p.m. The duration for bursting green crackers on Christmas is from 11:55 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. and on New Year's eve it will be from 1:55 p.m. to 12:30 a.m.
The Environment Minister added that the manufacturing, stocking, distribution, sale and use of joined firecrackers or series of crackers joined together are banned in the state. He said that firecrackers can be sold only through licensed traders while no e-commerce sites can accept online orders or sell online in the state.
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The Punjab Pollution Control Board has been instructed to conduct short-term monitoring in selected cities of the state. He said that the police officers will ensure that only green firecrackers are used during the designated hours of the festivals. Also those who violate the instructions will be fined immediately, he said while seeking cooperation from the common people.
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