Karnataka government said only eco-friendly ‘green’ crackers should be allowed for Diwali
Reportedly the bjp slammed the karnataka government’s order restricting firecracker use on diwali, saying regulations target only Hindu festivals. Union minister Pralhad Joshi called the directions “words on paper” and said those who want to burst firecrackers will continue to do so. On saturday (October 26), the karnataka government limited bursting firecrackers on diwali to a two hour window from 8 pm to 10 pm and said only eco-friendly ‘green’ crackers should be allowed in the state.Chief minister Siddaramaiah briefed reporters after a meeting with the deputy commissioners of all the districts “Deepavali is approaching. The supreme court has given guidelines on what kind of crackers should be burst. Only green crackers should be sold and they should be burst from 8 pm to 10 pm”. According to the government order, ‘green’ crackers are required to adhere to sound limits below 125 decibels while deputy commissioners have been directed to carry out inspections at shops.Moreover Siddaramaiah has stressed on the need to prevent any damage to the environment. “I have also informed the DCs that there should not be any harm, injuries or deaths due to crackers in their districts,” he said. He added: “The district officials should register cases against shopkeepers who sell crackers other than green ones, if they do not follow safety regulations, do not sell them at the designation place and do not have proper warehouses to store them.”