New Delhi, November 4: The festival of Diwali is around the corner. This year, Diwali is going to be celebrated on November 14. Diwali 2020 celebrations have been scaled down due to COVID-19 pandemic. To curb the air pollution during coronavirus pandemic, various state governments also banned firecrackers, while some states have allowed only green crackers.

In the view of COVID-19, the Centre has also issued guidelines. The government asked people not to gather in large numbers, wear marks and to maintain social distancing. On this Diwali, state governments issued advisories with an aim to control the spread of coronavirus as well as air and noise pollution.

Here Are Rules Regarding Busting of Crackers in Different States of The Country:

Delhi:

The Delhi government launched the anti-cracker campaign on Tuesday. The government appealed to all district magistrates, police and 11 teams of the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) to ensure a cracker-free Diwali in the national capital to curb pollution levels. Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai made an appeal to Delhiites to use green crackers and not the polluting kind.

Rajasthan:

The Rajasthan government on Tuesday said it has decided to impose a penalty of Rs 2000 on individuals found bursting firecrackers. The state government has banned the sale and use of firecrackers to protect COVID-19 patients and the public from their ill-effects. Rs 10,000 fine will be charged if some caught bursting firecrackers.

Odisha:

The Odisha government also banned the sale and use of firecrackers in the state. According to the latest order, the sale and use of firecrackers will be banned from November 10 to November 30. The order stated that the decision had been taken considering the potentially harmful consequences of burning of crackers amidst COVID-19 pandemic situation.

West Bengal:

The West Bengal government has also imposed a ban on bursting crackers. On Tuesday, the state government even urged people not to allow bursting of firecrackers during Kali Puja, Diwali to check the level of air pollution, especially in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic. The West Bengal Pollution Control Board (WBPCB) on Sunday said that the existing noise cap of 90 decibel on crackers will be in place during this Diwali

On Tuesday, The Gurugram Health department also issued a detailed advisory for Diwali celebrations amid the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the order, the health department has strictly prohibited "puja or any festive event" in areas under containment zones. The administration banned gatherings of large numbers of people. The district administration also asked people for more than 60 years with co-morbidities, pregnant women and children below 10 years must stay at home. The authorities have provided a two-hour window from 8 pm to 10 pm to burst crackers on Diwali.

(With inputs from IANS)

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 04, 2020 01:44 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).