2 days after crackdown, it’s business as usual for illegal firecracker vendors

Two days after the Kharar administration closed around 50 shops and stalls selling firecrackers illegally on the Morinda road and Badali road, it was business as usual for traders who reopened their shops today.

While the Municipal Council and police officials sidestepped the controversy, the administration officials remained tightlipped over the development.

The Kharar administration and Municipal Council officials had sealed around 50 shops reportedly selling and stocking firecrackers without any permission for past some days. There are around 30 licence holders, who have the permission to sell and store green firecrackers in the area. However, the number of shops in the area exceeded 300, sources said.

The number of stalls is increasing by the day and the trend will continue till Diwali day as has been witnessed over the years.

Shops and stalls are set up near residential societies, PSPCL, railways power grids and schools.

Besides submitting a memorandum to the Mohali DC, several famer unions on Saturday evening staged a massive protest in the market and parked vehicles on the road to express their resentment. Road users at Badali road, Morinda road and Chandigarh road had to face inconvenience as the protest led to a massive traffic jam.

Local SAD leaders urged the administration officials to provide firefighting equipment and remove other hiccups being faced by businessmen rather than inconveniencing them during two weeks of peak business for them.

As per the directions of the Punjab and Haryana High Court and the guidelines issued by the Punjab Government’s Department of Industries and Commerce, only 20 per cent of the licences issued in 2016 have been granted this year.

Forty-four temporary licences for the sale of firecrackers, including 18 licenses (out of 1,042 applications) for Mohali and Banur, eight licences (out of 19 applications) for Kharar, Kurali and Nayagaon and six licences (out of 187 applications) for Dera Bassi have been granted. Lalru and Zirakpur have got 12 licences as equal number of applications were received and no draw was held.

The district administration had received 1,260 applications, of which 1,180 were found valid.

It has approved 13 designated locations in the district for the sale of firecrackers. “No sale will be permitted outside these areas. No one will be allowed to sell or use firecrackers before or after the prescribed dates and timings,” officials had said.