Bursting crackers except during the permissible period will invite a jail term ranging from one month to six months as the Deputy Commissioners of Chandigarh and Mohali and the Panchkula Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) have issued prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC banning the bursting of crackers except on October 19 (Diwali), that too between 6.30 pm and 9.30 pm.
The orders were issued by UT Deputy Commissioner Ajit Balaji
Joshi, Mohali Deputy Commissioner Gurpreet Kaur Sapra and Panchkula
DCP Manbir Singh under Section 144 of the CrPC for their respective
cities.
The orders said no bursting of crackers will be allowed before Diwali
and after it till October 26. The orders were issued after the Punjab
and Haryana High Court restricted the timings for bursting crackers to
just three hours — between 6.30 pm and 9.30 pm — on Diwali.
The orders
issued by the UT Deputy Commissioner said the sale of firecrackers under
temporary licences granted by the office will be allowed only in
designated areas. The manufacture, sale and use of firecrackers
generating a noise level exceeding the permissible limits will be
strictly dealt with.
The orders have come into effect and will remain in force till October 26.
Rajiv Gupta, ADC of Chandigarh
said that under Section 188 of the IPC, violators
might face imprisonment for a term which may extend from one month to
six months or a fine ranging from Rs 200 to Rs 1,000 or both. No case
under Section 188 has been registered in the tricity so far.
The office of the UT Deputy Commissioner has received around 450 applications for licences.
The Panchkula DC’s office has received 110 applications from
cracker sellers. Last year, the administration had issued 65 licences
in Panchkula, but after the HC directions, only 13 licences will be
issued this time.