40 traders given licence in Mohali

Tribune News Service

Mohali, October 16

The administration today held a draw of lots to issue 40 temporary licences to traders for selling crackers.

Additional Deputy Commissioner Charandev Singh Mann said they had received 321 applications till 2 pm in the district. He said, “As per the High Court’s order to restrict the number of temporary licences to 20 per cent of what were issued last year, the administration decided to issue 44 licences.”

In 2016, 218 applications were received.

While 14 licences were issued for Mohali city, four were issued for Banur, Dera Bassi six, Lalru one, Zirakpur eight, Kharar three and Kurali four. In Lalru, four licences were to be issued but there was only one application. Three applicants had applied from Mullanpur, but their application (for Nayagaon) was not considered since they failed to appear in person for the draw.

Mohali city received the maximum applications of 132, followed by Zirakpur (58), Dera Bassi (53), Banur (28), Kurali (25), Kharar (22) and Mullanpur (3). Strangely, of the 25 applicants from Kurali (the largest firecracker market in the district) only four-five appeared for the draw.

Deputy Commissioner Gurpreet Kaur Sapra said residents must comply with the HC order. “Bursting crackers is not the only way to celebrate Diwali. Those found violating cracker-bursting norms would be strictly dealt with as per the law,” she said.

She said directions have been issued to the SSP to keep a check on illegal sale of crackers in areas like Kurali. She added that executive officers would ensure that crackers were sold only at the designated sites.

Designated sites 

• Mohali city: Parking ground near Bassi Theatre in Phase II; Dasehra ground at Phase VIII 
• Banur: Girls Senior Secondary School playground
• Dera Bassi: Government Senior Secondary School ground
• Lalru: Sports Stadium
• Zirakpur: Dasehra ground, Baltana
• Kharar: On old Morinda Hospital road, in front of the municipal park near labour shed; Dasehra ground 
• Kurali: Shaheed Beant Singh Stadium; Hockey Stadium on Singpura road