37 shops to be allotted for selling firecrackers

Kuldip Bhatia

Ludhiana, October 9

Ludhiana Police Commissionerate, the licencing authority for sale and regulation of firecrackers, has designated seven places in the city where 37 shops would be allotted on temporary basis to sell firecrackers during the festival of Diwali.

According to Police Commissioner Rakesh Agrawal, licences to sell firecrackers would be given in accordance with directions of the Punjab and Haryana High Court and the Punjab Government in this regard. All the firecracker shops would be allotted through a draw of lots on October 16 in the presence of applicants and members of the public in a completely transparent manner, he added.

Seven sites in different parts of the city have been designated for the sale of firecrackers, which include Dana Mandi in Salem Tabri (13 shops), GLADA Ground, Sector 32, Chandigarh Road (9 shops), Pakhowal Road, near Sidhwan Canal (4 shops), Dugri Phase II, opposite Dugri police station (4 shops), MC site near city bus office on Humbran Road (three shops), ground Near Lodhi Club on the 200 Feet Road (three shops) and Model Town Extension school site near 120-Feet-Road (one shop).

As per the schedule drawn by the licencing authority for the allotment of temporary firecracker shops, intending persons would be issued application forms from October 10 to 12. Duly filled in applications along with required documents could be submitted upto 5 pm on October 13 and 14.

After scrutiny of applications, list of eligible persons would be displayed after 3 pm on October 15 and the draw would be held on October 16 at 11.30 am at Bachat Bhawan, Mini Secretariat.

The allottees would be given two days time to set up shops on October 17 and 18 and sale of firecracakers would be allowed from October 19 till Diwali as per officials.