People allowed to sell, burst crackers for 2 hours on Diwali: Haryana CM

Tribune Web Desk

Chandigarh, November 8

Two days after announcing a “complete ban” on the sale of firecrackers, the Haryana government on Sunday allowed bursting them for two hours on Diwali.

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Sunday announced that people in the state would be allowed to sell and burst crackers for two hours on Diwali.

The state government on Friday had said it has decided to put a “complete ban” on the sale of crackers in the state to check the coronavirus spread due to pollution caused by the bursting of crackers.

“In Haryana, people will be allowed to sell and burst crackers for two hours on Diwali. These decisions have been taken in compliance with the guidelines issued by the National Green Tribunal in the wake of increasing air pollution,” the Chief Minister wrote in a tweet in Hindi.

It had been observed that there had been a spike in coronavirus infections due to air pollution, he said.

“It has been seen that due to pollution, there has been an increase in corona-infected patients in the past. This decision has been taken in view of reducing pollution and preventing the spread of corona infection,” he said in another tweet.