Diwali, the grandest festival of lights, is quickly approaching. However, the cracker prohibition has put all of us in a difficult position regarding how to celebrate this event. However, you can make up for it by lighting a diya, exchanging gifts, and dressing in new attire. At a news conference on Wednesday, Environment Minister Gopal Rai announced a ban on the setting off of fireworks for Diwali. Violators face fines of up to 5,000 rupees and prison terms of between six months and three years.
The production, storage, and sale of firecrackers in New Delhi are all covered by Section 9B of the Explosive Act, which criminalises rule-breaking. A group of 408 people has been organised to enforce the ban.
States that have banned firecrackers for Diwali 2022 have
- Delhi: Firecrackers of any kind are prohibited in the capital city through January 2022.
- Punjab: On October 24, 2022, the state will allow burst firecrackers for a two-hour window between 8 p.m. and 10 p.m.
On November 8, in honour of Guru Nanak Dev’s Prakash Purab, state environment, science, and technology minister Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer also gave the go-ahead for fireworks to be set off between the hours of 4 and 5 am and 9 and 10 pm.
Additionally, on Christmas and New Year’s Eve, from 11:55 p.m. to 12:30 a.m., people are permitted in Punjab for 35 minutes apiece.
- Haryana: All forms of firework production, with the exception of green crackers, are now illegal in the state of Haryana. A number of events that can take place during the winter and worsen the air pollution levels have also been outlawed by the Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPB).
- West Bengal: On October 24, 2022, green fireworks are permitted during Kali Puja. The only pyrotechnics allowed, according to the Calcutta High Court, are green crackers with QR codes. Only during the celebration will these green crackers be imported and distributed.
- Tamil Nadu: Tamil Nadu is continuing the four-year tradition by allowing people to set off fireworks for an hour. On that day, the state permits a window of an hour twice. The time frame is from 6 to 7 in the morning until 7 to 8 in the evening.
The state’s pollution control board issued a warning that prohibits bursting near sensitive locations, including hospitals, schools, and courts.
