crackers In a move aimed at curbing festival pollution and enforcing environmental protection norms, the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) has mandated that firecrackers may be burst only between 8:00 PM and 10:00 PM on October 21 and 22, coinciding with key Diwali celebrations.
The decision comes in tandem with the Supreme Court’s recent guidelines on cracker usage in the National Capital Region, though the KSPCB emphasized that the state is applying these curbs voluntarily to manage air quality statewide.
Stricter Measures on Non-Eco Fireworks
Only green (eco-friendly) crackers will be allowed. District administrations have been instructed to crack down on illegal storage, sale, and trading of non-green fireworks.
KSPCB chairperson P. M. Narendra Swamy affirmed that licensed traders will be under close scrutiny. “We are reviewing the Supreme Court’s window-based order,” he said, adding that if needed, further changes will be made.
Implementation and Enforcement
Regional officers, deputy commissioners, and superintendents of police have been mobilized for surprise inspections and enforcement raids. Offenders found with heavy metal–based crackers will face confiscation and legal action.
In Bengaluru, fewer traders applied for cracker sale licences this year, possibly because many prefer sourcing cheaper fireworks from the neighbouring Tamil Nadu border town of Hosur. In other parts of the Bengaluru Urban area, authorities received a flood of applications and conducted a lottery to allot permitted stalls.
The two-hour window restriction mirrors similar curbs enforced in previous years, aiming to balance tradition with public health.
