As Diwali is around the corner, the municipality has accelerated its efforts to curb the use of firecrackers that contain harmful crackers, affecting the health of humans and animals alike. Firecrackers now stand banned and people can only celebrate with green crackers, according to the latest regulations issued by the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation.
The local civic body made the announcement on Friday in response to the Supreme Court’s orders on controlling the number of crackers burst every year- more so during the Diwali period. The production, sale and use of these banned firecrackers can also penalize and be enough to imprison the guilty, the order mentioned.
“Production, sale, and use of firecrackers and series crackers or laris other than green crackers are banned, and illegal imports, sale, and distribution of these fireworks is a punishable offence,” it read.
ALSO READ: Andhra Allows Green Firecrackers to be Burst Between 8 and 10 PM on Diwali
To ensure that people follow the rule, teams have been formed that will visit shops and identify those who are still selling imported firecrackers. Such store owners will have to face fines and other punishments.
Citizens are also urged to inform the police stations if they find any store selling the banned crackers, “For this purpose, particular areas/fields would be pre-identified and pre-designated by the concerned authorities,” the GHMC’s notice read.
While green crackers were not the talk of the town in the past years due to limited availability, they are going to dominate the celebrations this November. The firecracker dealers’ association too expressed their confidence in the supply present with each seller for these eco-friendly crackers.
By the time when the National Green Tribunal (NGT) passed orders to use only green crackers in India last year, most of the dealers in Hyderabad had already bought their stocks of regular crackers. This year brought a chance for these sellers to adopt the eco-friendly crackers and make the change, Pratap Kumar, the Treasurer of TFWDA as well as of All India FireWorks Dealers Association said adding, “Many retailers have already placed their orders and started setting up the stalls.”
ALSO READ: Odisha Bans The Sale and Use of Firecrackers Amidst Potential Covid 19 Third Wave
Speaking about the nature of green crackers, K Venu Gopal, General Secretary, Telangana Fire Works Dealers Association (TFWDA) said, “The National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) has prepared the chemical formula for the green crackers that all the manufactures were asked to adopt. Our stock of crackers comes from Sivakasi in Tamil Nadu, and they have followed all the instructions.”
“So, about 80 per cent of the crackers that will be available in Hyderabad’s market this year will be green crackers. The remaining 20 per cent are leftovers from last year’s stock. I am hopeful that from next year, 100 per cent crackers sold in Telangana will be eco-friendly,” Mr Gopal added who also owns a firecrackers store in LB Nagar.
The rising pollution levels in the city too is urging citizens to make the switch and play a part in protecting the environment.
Dr Marwa Hussain, a city-based doctor, explained the components of green crackers. “These crackers have a different chemical formula that makes them less harmful than the traditional ones, not just for the environment but for humans as well. Conventional crackers increase health problems for those with breathing issues, senior citizens, animals and even plants, for that matter. Green crackers will help us celebrate Diwali with the same pomp and show while aiding in environmental safety.”
ALSO READ:Firecrackers ban in Delhi : Plea in High Court seeks urgent hearing
Green crackers and the regular ones do share packaging similarities. However, the logo differs. Look out for a QR code or the stamp of CSIR-NEERI-INDIA on them to identify a green cracker from a conventional one.
