SHILLONG/TURA: The district administration’s directive on bursting firecrackers was violated on Wednesday as revellers, young and old, ignored rules and started Diwali celebrations from the morning.
In almost all localities like Rilbong, Laban, Lumparing and Nongrah, revellers burst crackers making a section of the citizens uncomfortable. The sound of crackers creates problems for senior citizens, children and animals and a few citizens wondered whether the Supreme Court order meant anything to citizens.
The district administration fixed the time for bursting low decibel and low emission crackers between 8 pm and 10 pm. However, crackers could be heard as early as 10am. “We have two dogs at home and they are scared because of the sound. Forget about going out for a walk they are not even coming out from under the furniture,” said Kyle Phanwar, a resident of Nongrah.
East Khasi Hills SP Davis Marak said the city has been divided into sectors and police patrolling was conducted everywhere. He said the officers have been asked to ensure strict compliance of the Supreme Court order on the timing of bursting of crackers.
In addition, fire tenders were also stationed in different places in the city to attend to any emergency.
A resident of Rilbong said on condition of anonymity that the constant sound of crackers “irritates my ears and I get terrible headache”.
“I could hear crackers since 11am. I thought this time there will be strict implementation of the directive unlike the previous years. But it was the same as in the past. These revellers just made a joke of not only the district administration but also the highest court. I saw no police task force in the locality. Even if they had come, there was no result till 6pm in the evening,” said the 37-year-old resident who called up Kench’s Trace Beat House to complain.
“The officer who took the call said they are helpless on festival day. But he assured that a patrol van had gone out,” she added.
The officer at Laban beat house also had the same assurance to give.
The Supreme Court’s order came in October, only a month before the festival. The authorities here came out with the directive only two days before Diwali. There was no awareness among citizens from either the police or the administration.
Also, the authorities concerned do not have enough manpower to keep vigil in very locality round the clock, considering the fact that individuals have little or no respect for law or any regulation.
“People always have excuses for breaking rules. I saw parents accompanying children to burst crackers. What kind of attitude is this where you teach your children to break rules from a young age? The Supreme Court should have banned firecrackers instead of a half-baked judgment,” said another resident of Rilbong. He added that people were bursting crackers in front of the police.
The state pollution control board is monitoring sound and air pollution over 24 hours.
The bursting of crackers continued beyond 10pm on Wednesday.
In Tura, as per the directive of the Supreme Court, the district magistrate also prohibited bursting of firecrackers .
The order also prohibited sale or use of crackers generating noise level exceeding 125 dB (AI) or 145 dB PK 4 metre distance from the point of bursting.
The use of firecrackers in silence zones like around hospitals, educational institutions, courts, religious places and others has also been banned.
