Admn hurries cracker licence process

Sandeep Rana

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 14

In view of the Punjab and Haryana High Court directive just a few days before Diwali, the UT Administration has now been forced to hurriedly implement the process of giving licences for the sale of crackers as traders feel disappointed.

Now, individual fire and police verification certificates are not being sought from the applicants. The officials will now do composite verification at sales points, which are to be revised. Before the HC order, 17 sites for the sale of crackers were identified.

“We will decide on the number of total points for crackers once the licences are given. We will do composite verification at those spots as there is little time left for taking police and fire verification from each applicant,” said Additional Deputy Commissioner Rajiv Gupta.

On Day 1, about 300 applicants applied for the licence with the administration. Till 2 pm on Monday, people are allowed to apply for the licence. “We will hold a lucky draw to finalise those who will be getting licences through a public representative in the evening, so that there is no grievance later,” the ADC added.

Following the HC’s order, the administration yesterday cancelled all licences of cracker dealers issued so far. The HC issued directions that only 20 per cent of the dealers who were given licences in 2016-17 would be allowed to sell crackers this year.

Last year, 482 people had got the licence to sell crackers. “Till September 25, 361 persons, following all formalities like police and fire verification, applied for the licence. Now, all of them have been asked to apply afresh. We had bought a form for Rs 100 and paid Rs 500 as licence fee. Though the Rs 500 will be adjusted, but not the Rs 100. In this, the administration is going to earn a huge amount just from the application forms even as we face harassment,” lamented Chirag Agrawal, general secretary, Cracker Shops’ Association.

He said, “There is no check on any one single person filling several forms either in the name of his family or friends.”He also regretted spending around Rs 10 crore to Rs 15 crore on crackers during Diwali. He now fears a huge loss.

Opt for community celebrations

The HC verdict is fine but will it be implemented? Is it possible to deploy cops at every place where people burst crackers? We should opt for bursting of crackers at a designated place where city residents should come at a fixed time to celebrate together. — Baljinder Singh Bittu, president of FOSWAC

Relax timings for bursting crackers

We don’t care about such timings. This is our festival and we will not stop bursting crackers. The timings should be relaxed till 11.30 pm. — Charan Dhiman, resident

Diwali is about lights and crackers. That’s the way we celebrate it. It is always around 9 pm that we start bursting crackers after puja. We request the authorities to relax the timings. — Manish Samkaria, resident

Welcome HC decision

We respect the High Court’s verdict as it is for our own good. The court has not imposed a ban but issued a few guidelines. I appeal to residents to remove waste after bursting crackers as it may invite penalty. — Asha Kumari Jaswal, Mayor

Impose restrictions on marriage parties first

There is no denying the fact that air pollution caused by bursting of crackers will make the lives of coming generations miserable but such restrictions should be slapped on marriage functions and New Year festivities first. Celebrating Diwali is a matter of faith. So, we should come to the festival later. — Shakti Parkash Devshali, councillor