Cracker bursting time restricted to two hours on Diwali

BHUBANESWAR: The Odisha State Pollution Control Board (OSPCB) on Tuesday issued advisory limiting the time for bursting firecrackers in the state to two hours – from 7 pm to 9 pm – on Diwali evening.

The Board further advised people to celebrate Diwali by lighting diyas and refrain from bursting series firecrackers and those generating noise of 125 dBA and more. “Only green firecrackers are allowed in open areas,” it stated while underlining that firecrackers should not be burst near garden, parks and silence zones such as within 100 metre radius of hospitals, educational institutions, courts and religious places.

“The Supreme Court has banned production and sale of crackers except green crackers. Uses of Barium and banned chemicals in firecrackers have also been prohibited,” the Board said. It cautioned people from bursting firecrackers on roads, busy traffic as well as near slums and establishments that are prone to catch fire.

“Children below 10 years of age are not allowed to burst sound generating firecrackers,” the guideline read further advising people to wear cotton clothes while bursting crackers.