263 out of 964 applications approved for sale of green firecrackers

BENGALURU: City Police Commissioner B Dayananda on Friday said the department has issued permission to 263 applicants for setting up shops to sell green firecrackers stalls at 62 government grounds across the city for Deepavali festival.

A total of 912 applications were received for setting up shops, of which only 263 are allowed after verification by various departments. A joint task force which includes ACP-level officers, from the electrical inspectorate, BBMP, pollution control board and fire service, has been formed to monitor setting up of illegal firecrackers shops, illegal storage and illegal transportation. The task force will take action against those who violate the licence conditions, the police commissioner said.

Noisy (high intensity), hazardous, smokey firecrackers, as well as those that use banned chemicals in firecrackers will not be allowed as per Supreme Court directives against. Citizens should purchase only from authorised shops and bursting of firecrackers will allowed 8 pm and 10 pm, he said.

Checkposts have been set up in Bengaluru Rural area and on the outskirts of the city to prevent illegal transportation firecrackers from Tamil Nadu. The BBMP and fire and police departments checked and issued the firecracker licence through lottery system, he added.