Green Fireworks Only Permitted In Bengaluru: Where To Buy Them?

Following the tragic incident at the Attibele firecracker shop, the Bengaluru city police department has enforced mandatory permissions for 267 traders to sell environmentally friendly "green" firecrackers at 62 designated locations within BBMP grounds.

Licensees have been issued strict guidelines, including restrictions on nighttime firecracker sales and the mandatory presence of fire extinguishers in their shops. These sales permissions are valid for the next five days starting from Friday. Furthermore, a stern warning has been conveyed, indicating that licenses may be revoked, and legal action taken if any violations of the rules occur during this period.

Firecrackers now limited to 8 pm to 10 pm

In light of these measures, firecrackers are now allowed to be ignited only between 8 pm and 10 pm, and fireworks exceeding 125 decibels are prohibited.

A total of 964 applications for the sale of green firecrackers were submitted online across the city, with the initial goal being to grant permission to 320 shops. These applicants were selected as eligible based on criteria from the Police Department, Fire Department, and BBMP. Ultimately, 267 applicants, chosen through a lottery at the Armed Reserve (CAR) ground on Mysore Road, were granted permission to operate temporary shops.

This time, the BBMP delegated the responsibility of granting permissions for firecracker shops to the police department. Consequently, the corporation provided a list of over 400 grounds and asked the police to determine which grounds were safe for the sale of fireworks. Following discussions, senior officials from both the corporation and the police department unanimously decided to permit the sale of green firecrackers only at 62 designated grounds in the city.

Designating Safe Grounds for Firework Sales

The police have already identified the grounds in eight zones, including East Zone, South Zone, Mahadevpura, and Bommanahalli, and have informed the Corporation. Corporation officials inspected the infrastructure and safety measures at these grounds on Thursday.

Border Checkpoints to Deter Illicit Sales

• To prevent the illegal supply of firecrackers to the city from neighboring states, including
• Hosur in Tamil Nadu, the police have established checkpoints at the city's borders.
• These checkpoints, located primarily in Attibele, KR Puram, Yelahanka, Mysore Road, and other areas connecting to other districts, are actively monitoring all vehicles, including cargo vehicles.

Cracking Down on Illegal Vendors

For the past week, the police have been diligently combating illegal firecracker vendors in the city. Under the directives of Police Commissioner B. Dayananda, the CCB police and officers from various police stations have closely monitored firecracker sellers. In two separate cases, they have already seized firecrackers valued at over Rs 45 lakh. Legal actions are being contemplated against those who illegally sold firecrackers.

A detailed look at the rules for green firecracker sales

Key provisions to be observed by green firecracker sellers include mandatory sale of green crackers, display of the green firecracker symbol and QR code on the packets, a limited shop area of 10x10 feet, restrictions on the storage of excessive quantities of firecrackers, fire-resistant shop construction, front and back entrances, a three-meter distance between each shop, and the visible display of licenses.

Other provisions include a prohibition on selling manufactured firecrackers, the presence of fire extinguishers at every outlet, daytime sales only, and a ban on smoking near the outlet. Additionally, outlets should ensure that no one sleeps on the premises at night, proper electrical wiring and fittings, and adherence to the license's sale conditions. Sales to individuals under 18 years of age are not allowed.