No bursting of crackers after 10 pm in Bangalore: Additional Commissioner

People will not be allowed to burst firecrackers after 10pm, T Suneel Kumar, additional commissioner of police, announced on Sunday. Shops selling crackers have been told to stop  sales at 9 pm.

This year, the BBMP suggested to the city police 51 open spaces where people can sell fireworks. In all, it received 15,391 applications. The defence department too has taken permission to sell fireworks in their space at their own risk.

Over the past two years, the city police had increased the places for the sale of fireworks from 40 in 2010, to 50 and 51 in 2011 and 2012 respectively.

“Diwali is a festival which brings happiness to people. But while celebrating it by bursting crackers, some untoward incidents might take place. People should prevent such incidents instead of suffering after they take place,” Kumar said. Parents have to take extra care while children burst crackers, he said.

“After 10 pm, no one should burst crackers. It is an order from the court and also from the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board,” he said. “If we come across anyone bursting crackers after 10 pm and causing trouble to neighbours, we will take necessary action,” he said.

Bursting of crackers should be avoided near hospitals and places where people gather.
Shops selling crackers have been told to stop the sales at 9 pm or face action.

They have been divided into five categories: the general public, trusts and organisations, the physically challenged, SC/ST communities, and Janata Bazaars.

The fire and emergency services department officials have also passed some guidelines to shops and people on the bursting of crackers. People have been told to keep a bucket of water and a gunny bag filled with sand near where they burst crackers. Cracker shops should keep fire extinguishers ready to tackle any emergency situation.