Chandigarh, October 10
The UT Administration has earmarked 14 sites for sale of green crackers in the city this festival season.
An official said the licencees would be allotted sites in Sectors 17, 20, 29, 35, 49, 46, 43, Mani Majra, Ram Darbar, etc.
The administration will issue 96 temporary licences for sale of firecrackers through a draw of lots. For issuance of temporary licence, the authorities have invited applications to be submitted between October 10 and 12. The draw of lots will be held on October 14.
Three types
SWAS (Safe Water Releaser)
Release water vapour
No potassium nitrate and sulphur
Release 30% less particulate matter
STAR (Safe Thermite Cracker)
Lack potassium nitrate, sulphur
Release less particulate matter
Reduced sound intensity
SAFAL (Safe Minimal Aluminium)
Negligible use of aluminium
Contain magnesium
Reduced sound intensity
The official said applicants would have to pay Rs 500 fee along with the application, but those who had applied in 2020 and paid the requisite fee then had been exempt.
Chandigarh Cracker Dealers Association general secretary Chirag Aggarwal said nearly 1,650 applicants had submitted fee in 2020. They would be allowed to set up stalls three days before the festival.
The applicants will have to give an undertaking they will sell only green crackers, certified by the CSIR-NEERI, and that these comply with all orders and guidelines issued by the Supreme Court and the National Green Tribunal (NGT).
After enforcing a ban on fireworks for two years, the UT Administration has allowed use of green crackers this festival season. The sale and use of joined firecrackers (series crackers or “laris”), even if these fall under the green category, have been banned.
No e-commerce website, including Flipkart, Amazon, etc, is allowed to accept online orders and effect online sales of firecrackers within the UT jurisdiction. In case of violation, the SHO concerned shall be held liable.
Owing to the pandemic, the administration had imposed a complete ban on the sale and use of firecrackers as a containment measure to prevent the spread of the virus in 2020 and 2021.
