Keypoints:
- In the wake of coronavirus pandemic, the Rajasthan government has banned the sale of firecrackers during the Diwali festive season.
- A ban on temporary license for firecrackers sales has also been announced.
- It also declared that schools and colleges will remain closed till November 16.
The Rajasthan Government announced a ban on the sale of firecrackers during the festive season in the wake of COVID 19 pandemic.
It also declared that schools and colleges would remain closed till November 16. The state government said that the decision to ban the sale of firecrackers had been taken in a view of protecting the health of corona-infected patients, as well as keeping in view the health of common people, who might feel uneasy with the smoke emitting from the firecrackers.
A ban on temporary license for the sale of firecrackers also been announced. On Monday, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot also said that he had issued directions to ban the sale of firecrackers and restrict their use to protect COVID 19 patients and the public from their ill-effects.
In order to protect the health of COVID 19 affected patients and general public due to poisonous smoke eminating from firecrackers, strict action has been taken to prohibit the sale of firecrackers in the state and restrict the movement of vehicles without fitness certificate,” Gehlot tweeted.
While reviewing the coronavirus situation on Sunday, Chief Minister said that protecting the lives of people was of paramount importance for the government in these challenging times.
“Fireworks should also be stopped at weddings and other ceremonies,” he said, adding that strict action should be taken on vehicles plying on the street without a fitness certificate.
In the latest guidelines issued for the state from November 1 to November 30, it has been decided that swimming pools, multiplexes, cinema halls, entertainment parks, etc will also remain closed till November 30 as per the earlier order. The Rajasthan Governments order banning the use of firecrackers and the notice issued by National Green Tribunal to the Centre, seeking it’s reply for a ban on crackers in the National Capital Region (NCR) during November, have shocked the firework hubs.
Even the industry was busy with last minute production to meet the demand during Diwali amid the COVID 19 threat, the latest developments have raised concerns about the very existence of the sector.The production of fireworks was hit badly during the lockdown.
“The industry found it difficult to meet the precautionary measures to resume production. Our workers, too, risked their lives under the pandemic threat to produce the fireworks with the sole objective of keeping the people happy during the festival celebrations,” said Indian Fireworks Manufacturers Association (IFMA) general secretary T. Kannan.
