Indore (Madhya Pradesh): To control pollution during Diwali, the district administration has announced that firecrackers can only be burst between 8 PM and 10 PM.
The decision follows strict enforcement
of Supreme Court and National Green Tribunal (NGT) guidelines regarding the manufacture, sale, and use of crackers.
According to the Madhya Pradesh Pollution Control Board (MPPCB), this restriction applies only to cities where the Air Quality Index (AQI) in November 2021 was moderate or below it. Cities with poor or above poor AQI levels will face a complete ban on firecrackers during the festival.
Additional district magistrate (ADM) Roshan Rai said all sub-divisional magistrates (SDMs) had been instructed to ensure strict compliance with the directives. Violators would face penal action and officials would monitor firecracker sale, manufacturing and distribution points to ensure adherence to the rules.
Cracker bursting will remain prohibited within 100 metres of hospitals, schools, religious places and other ‘silence zones’.
Police and district officials have been asked to strictly enforce these restrictions.
Only green crackers approved by the Petroleum & Explosive Safety Organisation (PESO) and National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) are allowed. These include sparklers (phuljhadi), flowerpots (anar) and maroons, while serial crackers (ladis) and crackers containing toxic chemicals like barium salts are strictly banned. Green crackers can be identified by a special logo on the packaging and a list of licensed manufacturers is available on NEERI’s website.
The sound limit of crackers has been capped at 125 decibels (dB(A)) measured from 4 metres. Additionally, the online sale of firecrackers through platforms such as Amazon and Flipkart is banned.
The administration has urged citizens to dispose of leftover firecracker debris responsibly. Waste should not be dumped near natural water sources and must be collected and handed over to municipal authorities for safe disposal to prevent accidents involving children or animals.
