West Bengal Authorities Enforce Strict Firecracker Regulations for Upcoming Festivals

The West Bengal government has implemented rigorous enforcement measures regarding firecracker usage for the upcoming Diwali and Chhath Puja festivals. State officials emphasized that only green crackers are permitted and noted that authorities have systems in place to verify the authenticity of these products.

Kolkata police recently arrested a 19-year-old man in Burrabazar for hoarding illegal firecrackers, seizing approximately 110 kilograms of banned materials. Law enforcement plans to increase patrols and inspections at storage and manufacturing sites to prevent further violations.

Specific time windows have been established for bursting crackers, limited to 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. for Diwali and 6 a.m. to 8 a.m. for Chhath Puja. Additionally, sound-emitting crackers must remain under 125 decibels, while light-emitting varieties are capped at 90 decibels.

Director General of Police Siddhi Nath Gupta stated that sky lanterns may only be used if residents obtain official permission from the fire department. Home Secretary Sanghamitra Ghosh encouraged the public to limit the use of even green crackers, citing the importance of individual awareness in reducing environmental pollution.