Rajesh Narvekar, the municipal commissioner of Navi Mumbai has urged citizens to celebrate the festival of light and environment-friendly. He urged citizens not to use firecrackers as they are banned by the Supreme Court. In accordance with Government of India Notification No. G.S.R. 682(E) dated 05/10/1999, it is now illegal to manufacture, sell, or use firecrackers that produce more than 125 decibels (AI).
Following the directives of the Supreme Court, the use of firecrackers containing elements such as barium salt, lithium, arsenic, lead, and mercury is prohibited due to the toxic gases they release, which are harmful to both animals and plants.
Firecracker vendors are required to adhere to the regulations
Furthermore, in line with PIL no. 152/2015, as per the guidance of the Court, firecracker vendors are required to adhere to the regulations outlined in the Explosives and Explosives Act of 1884 and the Explosives Rules of 2008.
In light of this, civic chief Nrvekar has requested all firecracker sellers and residents in the NMMC area to ensure they do not sell or use banned firecrackers. Moreover, permitted firecrackers should only be sold after obtaining permission from the municipal corporation.
NMMC actively promotes 'Majhi Vasundhara Abhiyan 4.0'
As NMMC actively promotes 'Majhi Vasundhara Abhiyan 4.0,' 'Swachh Bharat Mission,' and 'Swachh Vayu Survekshan Abhiyan' under the overarching 'Swachh Bharat Mission,' they look forward to celebrating a cracker-free, plastic-free, waste-free, pollution-free, and eco-friendly Green Festival.
“We kindly urge all citizens to join in and make a conscious effort to avoid using firecrackers. Additionally, we encourage the use of cloth or paper bags instead of plastic,” said Mr Narvekar, adding that he extends his warm wishes to all citizens for a joyous and safe Diwali.