: Karnataka government has said fire-crackers can only be burst between 8 pm and 10 pm in the State during Diwali from November 5 to 8, following the Supreme Court directive.
The government, in its November 2 circular, asked all departments, primarily police, toensure that the specified time frame is adhered to whilebursting the fire- crackers.
"On account of Diwali, Dhanteras-November 5, Naraka Chaturdashi-November 6, Amavasya- November 7, and Bali Padyami-November 8, the fire-crackers should be burst only between 8 pm and 10 pm," the circular read.
Banning the manufacture, sale and use of joined fire-crackers (series fire-crackers or laris) that create pollutionalong with solid waste, it asked the department of informationand public relations and district administrations to carry outawareness programmes about the ill-effects of fire-crackers inschools and colleges.
Stating that fire-crackers can only be sold by authorisedor licensed dealers, the circular said they would have toadhere to stipulated guidelines.
Asking the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board to monitor bursting fire-crackers seven days before and after Diwali,it also directed to explore the feasibility of community fire-cracker bursting within the limits of all civic bodies, fromMahanagara Palike to Gram Panchayat.
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The circular also warned of action against station officers who fail to stop the sale of banned fire-crackers, considering it as contempt of court.
In its October 23 order, the Supreme Court had ordered that bursting of fire-crackers on Diwali and other festivals would be only from 8 pm to 10 pm.
On October 30, the court modified its order, saying that authorities in states are at liberty to change the timings but the duration would not exceed two hours a day.
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