K'taka Governor cautions people against dangerous crackers

Bangalore, Oct 18 (UNI) Karnataka Governor T N Chaturvedi today cautioned the people of the State against use of dangerous fire crackers during Deepavali, stating that parents should exercise caution when their children burst crackers.

''Deepavali is the festival of light, life and laughter. In case, some are keen to use fire crackers, they should exercise caution themselves and ask others, especially children, to handle them carefully. Eyes are precious and damage to eyes becomes irreparable.

The recent incident in Mangalore, while fire crackers were being loaded on an autorickshaw leading to loss of lives and property, ought to serve as a caution which people must heed,'' he said in a release here today.

Meanwhile, Commissioner of Police Neelam Achyuta Rao issued orders, prohibiting the procurement, possession, sale and use of crackers or explosives like 'Atom Bomb' of one inch diameter or four inch 'Lakshmi Pataki' generating noise exceeding 125 and 145 decibels respectively. 'Sputniks' of all varieties, explosives containing potassium chlorate and potassium perchlorate such as 'Belluli Pataki' and 'Nelagundu' were also prohibited in all parts of the city.

Violation of this order would entail prosecution and seizure of the entire stock of such crackers. The cracker sellers should not allow bursting of crackers within 75 m of their stall. Anyone found violating the order would be debarred from obtaining licence for the next five years. Crackers could not be burst beyond 2200 hrs and before 0600 hrs or in the specified silence zones, he added.

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