Mohali, October 22
The sale of crackers began at the Phase 8 ground with shopkeepers doing brisk business on day 1 of the three-day trade.
In Phase 8, the site for crackers stalls witnessed huge rush with kids and youngsters buying crackers. The administration has set a limit of three days for the temporary license holders to sell crackers.
“Only green crackers, which cause less pollution, are being sold here. Administration officials have banned conventional crackers and challans are being issued if anyone is found selling them,” said Ramneek Singh, a stall owner.
A family buys green crackers from a stall set up in Sector 24, Chandigarh, on Saturday
Tribune Photo: Pradeep Tewari
Shopkeepers said the administration, the Municipal Corporation and the health department has not made a provision of fire brigade, a team of doctors and washrooms in the open ground even though they were being charged a fee of Rs 9,000 per day. Shopkeepers said they had hired their own water tankers to prevent any untoward incident.
Some stall owners alleged that a few shopkeepers were selling crackers without valid licence.
People wait for their turn to purchase firecrackers, outside a showroom in Sector 5, Panchkula. Tribune Photo: NITIN MITTAL
Dhanteras rush
The markets in Mohali wore a festive look in Mohali on the eve of Dhanteras. All busy markets of the town, including those in Phase 3B2 and Phase 7, saw a huge rush of visitors. Jewellery shops and department stores saw the maximum visitors with people choosing to buy jewellery and utensils on the auspicious day.
“We bought some gold jewellery and utensils as today is an auspicious day to buy new things,” said Jaspreet Bindra, a Phase 3B2 resident.
