 "Amarinder Singh")
Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Tuesday announced a two-hour window for use of green firecrackers on Diwali and Gurpurab, with a curb for Christmas too across the state, except in Mandi Gobindgarh, where a total ban has been imposed from the midnight of November 9-November 10 till November 30-December 1 midnight on account of its poor air quality index (AQI) levels.
"Only green crackers will be allowed as per these orders, which are in compliance with the directives of the National Green Tribunal (NGT), as well as various judicial orders passed amid reports of firecrackers likely to aggravate the COVID problem," the official release said.
As per the state government, while on Diwali day (November 14), green crackers can be burst from 8 pm to 10 pm, on Gurpurab (November 30), bursting of crackers will be allowed from 4 am to 5 pm and from 9 pm to 10 pm. On Christmas Eve, people can burst these crackers from 11.55 pm till 12.30 am.
"Chairing a virtual COVID review meeting, the Chief Minister directed the Department of Science, Technology and Environment to issue the necessary notification in this regard. Warning against any violation of these curbs, he asked DGP Dinkar Gupta to crack down heavily to ensure penal action as per the law," the release added.
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