Bhopal: Rules go up in smoke at firecracker shops

Bhopal: Rules go up in smoke at firecracker shops

Safety distance between fireworks shops, clusters compromised.

Staff ReporterUpdated: Thursday, October 24, 2019, 10:37 PM IST
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BHOPAL: Firecrackers and fireworks are indispensible to Diwali and ahead of the festival hundreds of shops selling all varieties of firecrackers have come in the city. However, much to the concern, the firecrackers are being sold in violation of the Explosives Act and keeping all rules at bay thus endangering the lives of people. The failure of the district administration to keep a tab on the firework sellers might cost dear. The city has 15 wholesale cracker dealers and over thousands of retailers.

Hundreds of makeshift fireworks shops have come up at PRT, Jamburi, Bittan, Kolar, Bangrasia, Banjari, Laharpur, MP Nagar, Chowk with scant regard for the rules. All the safety norms have been thrown to wind as shops are lined up in a row at many places. As per the rule, 3 mts distance between shops selling crackers is to be maintained, however, here one can see shops adjacent to each other. The authorities have to ensure that there are not more than 50 shops in any cluster of the markets and two clusters should be located at a specified distance, however., all these rules are confined to papers only.

Mohan Chaturvedi, a retired official from industries department, expressed concern over the cracker market near residential areas at Bittan ground. A number of fire crackers shops have come up but no measures have been taken to ensure fire safety, said Chaturvedi. Shops lie adjacent to one another even when as per norm distance of 3 meters has to be maintained between two shops, he added. Chaturvedi who lives in Arera colony said all his neighbors visit the same market and park their vehicles around the ground, in case of any mishap, the parked vehicles will add to the disaster.

Daulatram Sabnani, president of fire cracker seller association said the bulk market at Bairagarh adhere to all the norms and the market there has been developed as per the rules of central government. If the retailers are not following the rules then they hould be held responsible and not us, he added.

Sub divisional magistrate (SDM) TT Nagar Rajesh Shukla assured to look into any discrepancies at the crackers market. Bittan market comes under my jurisdiction and if any rule are violated here then action will be initiated as per, said the officer.

Manoj Upadhyay, SDM Govindpura claimed that all rules are being followed at PRT ground but at Jamburi because of space constrain and other issues more than 50 shops are allowed in a cluster.

As per the guidelines for explosives, the shops have been categorised on the basis of quantity amount. Shops with 50 kg maximum capacity, with 450 kg max capacity and with 1500 KG maximum capacity. Shops with crackers over 450 kg or more are to be operated away from of residential areas. There should be a distance of 15 meters between two clusters.

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