Chandigarh: Residents of Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh can burn crackers only for three hours -- from 6:30 pm to 9:30 pm -- on Diwali, the High Court ordered here, days after the Supreme Court banned the sale of fireworks in neighbouring Delhi and National Capital region (NCR).
Concerned over the pollution from crackers, the Punjab and Haryana High Court on Friday also issued a number of instructions to authorities on issuing of temporary licences to traders in the states and the Union Territory.
However, the division bench of justices AK Mittal and Amit Rawal said detailed guidelines for the future will be laid down subsequently.
“The court has made it clear that the set of instructions are applicable only for this year’s Diwali in Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh. The court has ordered that firecrackers can be only burnt between 6:30 pm to 9:30 pm.
“Deputy commissioners, police commissioners and senior superintendents of police have been directed to ensure strict and meticulous compliance (of the order),” senior advocate Anupam Gupta said. The High Court also directed the police to ensure adequate PCR vans are deployed for compliance of directions.
The court had on Thursday issued notices to the two states and the UT asking them to furnish details of licences issued for sale of crackers. The development comes days after the Supreme Court banned the sale of firecrackers in Delhi-NCR till November 1.
