Ranchi: The Jharkhand State Pollution Control Board has issued guidelines for the use of firecrackers during the upcoming Diwali festival, specifying the types of crackers allowed and the permitted timing for their use.
Rajeev Lochan Bakshi, Member Secretary of the Board, announced on Thursday that air quality levels in all 24 districts of the state fall within the ‘good’ or ‘satisfactory’ category. As part of the regulations, only firecrackers with a sound limit of less than 125 dB(A) will be permitted for sale.
On Diwali, residents may use firecrackers for a limited period of two hours, from 8 PM to 10 PM. Violators of these regulations will face legal action by the District Collector under Section 188 of the IPC and Section 37 of the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981, along with other applicable laws.
In addition to Diwali, the same two-hour restriction applies to other festivals, including Chhath, Christmas, and New Year. Specifically, firecrackers may be used on Chhath from 6 AM to 8 AM, and on Christmas and New Year from 11:55 PM to 12:30 AM.
