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New Delhi: Diwali, the festival of lights, might be sparkless this year. Cracker shops, which otherwise do a roaring business, have reported a sharp decline in sales. Hiralal, a shop owner in New Delhi, attributed low sales to increasing awareness against pollution caused by crackers and the apex court's ruling limiting the period of bursting crackers. "The craze for crackers has come down as compared to earlier times. In schools they make children aware that use of crackers is not good and it causes pollution. And our business is very down this time," he said. "This year I will not firecrackers because I have been told in school that you burn your hands and it causes pollution," said Sachin Gupta, a 13-year-old student. Lucky, a shop owner in Ludhiana, said they were suffering huge losses this year. "There are no buyers this time, we are suffering heavy losses. Shop owners are sitting idle," said Lucky. The Supreme court has banned bursting of crackers from ten in the evening to six in the morning. Various schools have issued instructions to take steps to control noise pollution arising out of bursting of crackers. Bursting of firecrackers has been banned in "Silence Zones" like hospitals, educational institutions, courts, religious places or any other area which is declared as such by the competent authority. Sale of certain crackers too has been banned. Diwali is celebrated by illuminating houses and temples with traditional earthen lamps and colourful strings of electric bulbs. The festival marks the victory of good over evil. This year, according to Hindu calendar, Diwali falls on October 25.
-ANI |
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