Safe Diwali: Vending zones set up for crackers

CUTTACK: Sale of firecrackers for the  Diwali festival is all set to undergo a welcome change in the millennium city, with the introduction of clusters in open spaces to overcome the risks involved in opening explosive-laden stalls in crowded areas. The Commissionerate Police have gone ahead with issuing licences for firecracker sale in clusters by demarcating zones away from the busy thoroughfares and residential areas. The first of its kind is to open at the stretch from Press Square to Panchamukhi temple road. The cluster accommodates around 15 stalls under one roof, catering to buyers from Madhupatna, Khapuria and Khan Nagar regions. Licences have also been issued for clusters at the Badambadi-Khan Nagar road, Railway Grounds at OMP, open ground near Soubhagya Mandap at Nuabazaar and near Biju Patnaik Square, Commissionerate police sources said. “The start would be made this year with long-term objectives of ensuring sale of firecrackers through established clusters. We are planning to facilitate setting up a big cluster of firecracker shops at Balijatra grounds from next year,” a senior officer said. Over a thousand shops come up in the city for the Diwali festival every year. But they are mostly unorganised and set up along the busy thoroughfares, residential pockets and the narrow lanes and bylanes. This poses a threat to life and property in the neighbourhood because of the magnitude of the explosives involved. PRECAUTIONS: The Commissionerate Police, though, has decided to clamp restrictions on sale of firecrackers this year. It has issued guidelines for safety measures to be followed by the shop owners like maintaining a minimum distance, keeping fire prevention equipment handy, having fire-proof sheds and adhering to the approved stock volume. Special squads have been formed to check whether the shop owners are flouting the norms and penalties would be imposed to the tune of ` 500 to `1,000. Meanwhile, for the first time this year, a time extension for conducting musical programmes has been granted. Like in Durga Puja, orchestras and other entertainment programmes can be held till mid-night as opposed to the 10 pm deadline earlier, Commissioner B K Sharma told at a preparatory meeting here. Kali Puja would be celebrated in the city from October 26 to October 29 with immersions scheduled on the latter date.