SC order aside, banned firecrackers deck shops in Lucknow

LUCKNOW: Despite a ban on them by the Supreme Court, ‘series crackers’ or ‘chatais’ are being sold openly in shops of Lucknow. After reviewing the air quality report submitted by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), which showed severe air pollution in many parts of north India, the apex court in its recent order had banned the sale of series fireworks because they produce high amount of pollutants.
When TOI visited wholesale and retail cracker markets in Kakori, Dubagga, Thakurganj and Aishbagh, it found some shops selling the banned items openly.
When asked, sellers said they did not know anything about the ban. The district administration has not informed them about SC’s restrictions, they said.
Dealers and distributors said that they receive hundreds of orders from customers for ‘chatai’ or ‘ladi’ which can have up to 10,000 small single crackers joined together like a mat. Similarly, sky shots that go up with sound and light in a series of 50 to 250 are also in demand.
“Four types of crackers are most in demand. These are sky shots, ladis, flower pots and small bombs. I have only these in my shop. If the SC order is implemented, I will be forced to shut down,” said Israr Khan, a cracker dealer in Thakurganj. “People prefer chatais and sky shots because they are comparatively safer than high-decibel bombs and flower pots,” said Shyam Kumar, a wholesale dealer in Kakori.
Additional district magistrate (west) Santosh Kumar Vaish, who is the nodal officer to regulate cracker markets, said, “We will conduct an inspection and those found violating norms will face penal action.”