West Bengal Bans Crackers Outside Fixed Hours for Kali Puja and Diwali

West Bengal will strictly ban bursting firecrackers outside fixed hours during the upcoming Kali Puja and Diwali festivals. State Environment Minister Manoj Oraon announced the rules on Friday, stating that the government will deploy mobile teams and set up control rooms to check violations.

Festival Rules

State Home Secretary Sanghamitra Ghosh stated that people can burst firecrackers only between 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. on Kali Puja night. For Chhath Puja, the allowed time window is from 6 a.m. to 8 a.m. Officials will also completely ban noisy crackers and fireworks within 100 metres of silence zones like schools and hospitals.

Permits and Safety

The government has made prior permission mandatory for launching sky lanterns, even for traditional families in north Kolkata who usually follow this custom. Police and administrative staff will keep a close eye on markets to stop the sale of banned items and illegal fireworks smuggled from other districts. Only green firecrackers certified by NEERI and PESO are allowed for sale and use.

Context

Festivals like Diwali and Kali Puja often lead to high levels of air and noise pollution in large cities across India. State governments routinely set time limits and pollution control measures during this period to protect public health and safety.