Diwali 2020: Only green crackers to be sold in Uttarakhand's six major cities

In view of the National Green Tribunal's (NGT) directions amid COVID-19 and surge in levels of air pollution, the Uttarakhand Government has permitted the sale of only green crackers in six cities and restricted bursting of crackers for 2 hours on Diwali, Gurpurab and Chhath.

These cities include Dehradun, Haridwar, Rishikesh, Haldw Rudrapur and Kashipur.

While the state government has fixed a time slot of 8 pm to 10 pm on Diwali and Gurpurab during which the crackers can be burst, green crackers can be used from 6 am till 8 am on Chhath.

"Only green crackers should be sold in Dehradun, Haridwar, Rishikesh, Haldw, Rudrapur and Kashipur. In these cities, crackers can be burst from 8 pm to 10 pm on Diwali and Gurpurab, and from 6 am to 8 am on Chhath," the Government of Uttarakhand stated.

The NGT had reserved its order on the issue of imposing a temporary ban on the use and sale of firecrackers across the country in a bid to protect vulnerable people from the increase of air pollution amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Diwali will be celebrated across the country on November 11.

( With inputs from ANI )