The bursting of green crackers for two hours allows the young and the old to indulge in the festive spirit without harming the environment. After the lapse of the two-hour window, the local police can go around making friendly reminders and issuing challans to violators, who refuse to follow the guidelines.
Sapna Sharda, Chandigarh
Strictly enforce two-hour window
The authorities have to be strict while enforcing the two-hour window for bursting green crackers. Most people start bursting crackers before 8 pm and continue till midnight, inconveniencing senior citizens, sick people and those having breathing problems. Most people don’t observe the deadline. Depute officers to strictly enforce the 8 pm to 10 pm window.
Dr Harminder Singh, Chandigarh
Residents need to realise responsibility
The administration should create awareness among the masses about the use of green crackers for two hours by putting up hoardings. Residents of Chandigarh are educated enough to realise the ill-effects of pollution caused by crackers. They must follow the guidelines and encourage their kids to celebrate a green Diwali.
Abhilasha Gupta, Mohali
Make use of social media platforms
The UT Administration should use the social media to sensitise the residents to burst crackers only during the permissible time. Personal messages through WhatsApp should be sent to people to remind them of the two-hour window. The police should station PCR vehicles at the sites earmarked for cracker stalls to create awareness. Shopkeepers should display the timings for bursting crackers at their respective stalls.
Sunny Dhaliwal, Chandigarh
Celebrate Diwali with lights only
The public, particularly children, must be educated to follow the guidelines. Citizens’ bodies such as RWAs and NGOs can play a key role in this regard. Energy-efficient decorative lights may be used at homes and public places to celebrate the festival of lights.
Col TBS Bedi (retd), Mohali
Impose hefty fine on violators
To instil fear among violators, the authorities concerned may impose a hefty fine on them to be paid on the spot. Offenders refusing payment of fine should be barred from the social schemes of the government until next festival.
Harsimran Singh Kamboj
Educate people on need for green crackers
The administration should form a task force of MC officials who will create awareness in their respective wards on how green crackers are distinctive from traditional ones. Policemen in plain clothes, along with members of NGOs, should be deployed in localities to enforce the guidelines in a subtle manner, without spoiling the spirit of this great festival.
Yash Khetarpal, Panchkula
Admn should be more vigilant
The administration and the MC should take necessary steps to step up surveillance. Officials of the civic body should conduct meetings with the local councillors, who should also be made responsible to ensure that only green crackers are used and that, too, within the permissible time window.
NPS Sohal, Chandigarh
Keep an eye on cracker vendors
The police should make sure that shopkeepers sell only green crackers. It is the duty of every citizen to adhere to the orders and burst only such crackers. The regular crackers cause a lot of pollution, which is harmful for senior citizens, young children and animals.
MR Bhateja, Nayagaon
Hold awareness sessions
The administration should conduct campaigns to sensitise people to air pollution caused by crackers on festival days. Hefty penalties should be imposed on violators.
Khushkaran Singh
Strictly deal with violators
The police must maintain a strict vigil while enforcing the two-hour window. The online sale of crackers must be banned. The administration should strictly deal with residents violating the time window.
Anita K Tandon, Mundi Kharar
Follow idea of ‘no firecrackers’
We all as responsible citizens of the country should adopt the idea of “no firecrackers” this year so that we can breathe clean air and have a noiseless environment around us. Also, firecrackers are a safety hazard, as we see so many accidents happening every year. There are so many other ways to celebrate Diwali such as by exchanging gifts. It’s our duty to keep our environment pollution-free. We must guide our youngsters to celebrate a green Diwali, instead of a polluting one.
Sanjay Chopra, Mohali
Extend two-hour window for bizmen
The time limit of two hours should be increased, at least, by half an hour, keeping in mind the businessmen, who shut their shops by 10 pm. The PCR teams have to keep a strict vigil and catch people burning crackers after the stipulated time. The residents should show a sense of responsibility by obeying the orders.
Savita Kuthiala
Deploy police teams across city
The time limit should be extended to make this Diwali a really enjoyable experience. The administration should motivate the public to burst crackers during the stipulated time. Police teams should be deployed across the city to enforce it.
Sumesh Kumar Badhwar, Mohali
Focus on curbing sale of toxic crackers
Green crackers cause 30 per cent less air pollution than the traditional ones. The police should step up vigil to stop people from bursting the traditional crackers. The focus of the administration should be on curbing the sale of toxic crackers.
Dr Anil Kumar Yadav, Chandigarh
Make public announcements
Allowing the bursting of eco-friendly green crackers by the UT Administration after a gap of two years gives a sense of joy to the city residents. Public announcements and police patrolling are essentially required to ensure that the residents strictly adhere to the 8 pm to 10 pm window on Diwali.
RPS Chopra, Chandigarh
QUESTION
To deal with shortage of parking space in residential areas, the MC, Chandigarh, is planning to implement community parking on a pilot project basis in Sector 35. What more can be done to resolve the parking issue in the residential areas?
Suggestions in not more than 70 words can be sent to openhouse@tribunemail.com
