Admn to allocate space to firecracker sellers today

Neeraj Bagga

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, October 15

The district administration will allocate space to firecracker sellers for setting up stalls through a draw system on October 16.

It had cancelled the licences of firecracker sellers after the Punjab and Haryana High Court’s directives. Earlier, New Amritsar and Ranjit Avenue were the designated areas for setting up stalls.

Firecracker sellers said they had invested between Rs 1.50 lakh and Rs 2 lakh on an average to set up temporary stalls.

They said the Improvement Trust might refund their advance deposits but the cost of setting up stalls and investment on buying crackers might not be refunded ever.

A young trader, Harmeet Singh, at Ranjit Avenue’s temporary market said firecracker traders apprehend that a large inventory of crackers might remain unsold this time. “It would be a complete loss,” he said.

Deputy Commissioner Kamaldeep Singh Sangha said the space allotted by the Improvement Trust for setting up temporary cracker markets in the New Amritsar and Ranjit Avenue areas stand cancelled.

He said fresh applications to apply for temporary licences to sell crackers could be submitted at the Arms branch till 2 PM on October 16.

The Deputy Commissioner said a draw of lot would be held to choose the traders on the same day. He said the result of the draw would be out in the evening.

The Deputy Commissioner said only 20 per cent of the total stalls allotted last year would be allotted space this time. He assured that the traders, who had already deposited the money after taking part in the auction held by the Trust, would get back their deposited sum from the Trust.