Ahead of Diwali, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Monday imposed a ban, with an exemption, on the use of crackers and fireworks at any public or private places in the city.
However, the civic body has permitted the use of less polluting or mild firecrackers like anar, fuljhari for children within the society premises or outside their house on the evening of Laxmi Pujan, that is, November 14.
In a circular, the BMC also urged the citizens to celebrate Diwali with due precaution and by following COVID-19 protocol.
The BMC has appealed to the public not use sanitisers before or while bursting firecrackers or lighting diyas. At that time, it has recommended the use of water and soap instead as sanitisers are inflammable.
The BMC has empowered the assistant municipal commissioners of all the 24 civic wards to take stringent action against the violators under the Epidemics Act, 1897 and the Disaster Management Act, 2005. The BMC has also requested citizens to use online mediums to exchange greetings rather than physically visiting at each other’s houses.
The BMC had studied similar orders issued by other state governments, including Rajasthan, adding that under the Epidemic Diseases Act, they can impose a ban on bursting of firecrackers at public and private premises during a pandemic.
However, the state environment minister Aaditya Thackeray had asked the BMC to explore the possibility of banning firecrackers during the pandemic to avoid air pollution. A proposal for a ''cracker-free'' Diwali was put forth by state public health minister Rajesh Tope.
Earlier, Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray had appealed to the public to celebrate a firecracker-free Diwali, as the resultant smoke could create health hazards for COVID-19 patients and those suffering from respiratory ailments.
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