Beijing, January 14: In 2018, the Supreme Court of India restricted the use of firecrackers for Diwali in a bid to control rising air pollution during the festivity. Taking a cue from India, China too has announced some measures to curb pollution and ensure safety. Revellers of the Chinese New Year, which will begin from February 5, will have to present their identity document for buying firecrackers.

In China's capital Beijing, anyone who wishes to buy firecrackers to celebrate the Chinese New Year will have to show their ID proof. According to an official from the Beijing Emergency Management Bureau Tang Mingming, stores in the city will have devices to identify and register buyers, who will be held accountable in case of an incident, reports Efe news. The number of stores selling fireworks and firecrackers has been reduced from around 80 to 30.

Besides, these stores can only sell firecrackers from January 30 to February 9. In order to curb pollution and prevent any fateful incident, other cities are also imposing the restrictions on the sale of firecrackers. With the ban, launched in 2018, Beijing ended 12 years of fireworks being allowed on virtually every street, causing big fires like that of 2009 in the city skyscraper Hotel Mandarin Oriental.

The Chinese often set off firecrackers and fireworks during these festivities not only for aesthetic purposes but also due to the belief that noise and fire dispel evil spirits that lurk around this time, ensuring a prosperous and fortunate year. (With IANS inputs)

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 14, 2019 04:41 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).