Kolkata: The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday banned selling and buying of firecrackers, Chhath puja processions and bursting loud music using DJs during the upcoming festivities.
Allowing only two members of a family to take part in the visarjana during Chhath puja, the HC also said that the decision to run local trains on certain days of the festival will be taken at a joint meeting of the state and the railways.
It also specified that worshippers will only be allowed to go for visarjana in open vehicles where only small musical instruments can be played.
The HC also prohibited using Subhash Sarobar and Rabindra Sarobar for the puja ritual keeping in mind the cleanliness and maintenance of the water body.
Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA) said unless said otherwise by the apex court, the order of the Environmental Court has to be strictly obeyed.
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Ordering that the Calcutta Municipal Corporation should run a neighbourhood campaign with local municipal representatives urging people to adhere to the orders, a division bench of Justice Sanjeev Bandyopadhyay and Justice Arijit Bandyopadhyay directed the Kolkata Police Commissioner and the State Police DG to submit a report within a week of the commencement of court proceedings.
In case of violation of the order, the administration has also been directed to give a specific phone number to lodge a complaint.
The police have been directed to take strict actions against those who indulge in buying and selling of crackers.
