In a festive relief for locals and business owners, Pune Police have permitted all licensed firecracker shops in the city to remain open around the clock from October 11 to October 21. However, some residents are raising concerns over illegal firecracker stalls sprouting on the footpaths and roads.
Shekhar Delvi, a resident of Uttam Nagar, said, "Temporary firecracker stalls near Ganapathi Matha can be seen. The stalls have encroached on the side margin of the road, which is causing heavy traffic, and it’s dangerous because it can lead to accidents. There are also no safety measures. I request authorities to keep a check on illegal stalls."
Mohit Sharma, a resident of Pashan, said, "In our area, luckily, there are no such stalls, but when you go to the city side, you can see such illegal stalls every 500 metres. We, as residents, don’t really know if they are licensed, as they all lack safety measures - no fire extinguishers can be seen near the shops. The authorities should take some action against illegal firecracker shops."
"In the area from Indiranagar Chowk to Upper Depot on the Swami Vivekananda footpath, illegal encroachments by firecracker stalls and unauthorised handcarts have risked the lives of common people. However, the civic body is not taking strict action against them," said a resident of Bibewadi on the condition of anonymity.
Meanwhile, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) on Monday issued an advisory appealing to citizens to celebrate Diwali in an environmentally friendly manner.
Additional Municipal Commissioner Prithviraj BP urged citizens to celebrate Diwali responsibly in an eco-friendly manner to prevent air and noise pollution. "Schools, colleges, and civic organisations should implement a 'No Cracker Diwali' awareness campaign," he added.
"Joint action will be taken in the next two days against unauthorised shops where stalls and encroachments have increased on many roads. Various departments of the administration have been informed accordingly. No compromise will be made for the safety of citizens. Businessmen should conduct business in open fields with an official license," a PMC official told The Free Press Journal.
