Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (SP)

Udupi, Nov 13: Deputy commissioner of the district G Jagadeesha, has asked the general public to strictly follow the guidelines issued by the government when celebrating Deepavali festival.

"As per the government orders, no firecrackers other than those identified as green can be sold. The green firecrackers can be used only between 8 pm and 10 pm. The sellers have to obtain official licences from the related department and authority for selling green firecrackers," he stated.

Jagadeesha enumerated that in the light of COVID risk, areas around the stalls selling crackers should be sanitised every day. People coming to buy crackers should be subjected to thermal screening and sanitiser should be applied. When buying crackers, sellers and the public have to wear face masks. Social distance should be maintained and crowds should not be allowed to be formed, he said.

The deputy commissioner further said that stalls should be built of zinc sheets or fire-resistant materials. Between two stalls, a minimum distance of six metres has to be maintained. There should be enough space on the front side, entry from behind, and enough space for fire tenders and people to move about, he said. Sale of crackers can be conducted only between 6 am and 10 m. For the electric wiring in shops, pipes should be provided to the wiring. Decorative electric serial sets should not be used. No cooking or burning of gas burners, candles and scented sticks is allowed inside the stalls. After the expiry of the term of the licence, instead of taking the remaining crackers home, they should be returned to wholesale dealers. The waste remaining in the stalls should be separated from the crackers and transported to garbage collection centres, he stated.

He warned that those who violate these rules will be acted against in terms of section 188 of the Disaster Management Act 2005.