The Greater Chennai City Police have registered a total of 581 cases against persons for bursting firecrackers beyond the permitted time slots, for high decibel firecracker bursting and for running fireworks shops, in violation of Tamil Nadu’s rules.
Ahead of Deepavali, the police had issued an advisory for the bursting of firecrackers during stipulated time periods: 6 a.m. to 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. Also, as per the orders of the Supreme Court, only green crackers made of permitted chemicals that are environmental-friendly, can be sold and burst. According to Rule 89 of The Environment (Protection) Rules, 1986, no firecrackers that generate over 125 decibels of sound can be manufactured, used or sold.
Accordingly, on the orders of Chennai Commissioner of Police, Sandeep Rai Rathore, police teams led by inspectors checked for violations from the evening of Saturday, November 11 to Monday morning on November 13, 2023. A total of 554 cases related to bursting of firecrackers beyond the times specified; eight cases related to the operation of firecracker shops in violation of rules and 19 cases related to bursting of firecrackers with excessive noise, were registered, police said.
Over the past two days, the Fire and Rescue Services control room received 102 calls from Chennai city for assistance to put out fires that had broken out due to the bursting of crackers. Officers said all of these were minor accidents.
Meanwhile, a fire broke out in a portion of the Sai Baba Temple premises on Venkatesa Agraharam Street in Mylapore on the night of Deepavali. Pieces of cloth, and poles used for renovation work that is ongoing were damaged, but nobody was injured. Fire Service staff said the fire occurred due to a firecracker (rocket) landing after it burst.
