Keeping in mind the pandemic situation, the Kolkata High Court’s Green Tribunal on Thursday banned the use of firecrackers during the upcoming festive days of Kali Puja, Diwali and Chhath Puja in West Bengal.
The High Court upheld the petition about banning the use of crackers during Kali Puja. The special court also put a halt in selling and buying of crackers in the state ahead of the festivities.
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A division bench of Justice Arijit Banerjee and Justice Sanjeev Banerjee, who was a part of the division bench that had marked Durga Puja pandals throughout the state as ‘No Entry’ zones for public, has ordered that the same protocols need to be followed in Kali Puja as well.
Apart from declaring all the Kali Puja pandals as ‘No Entry’ zones, Justice Banerjee has said pandals covering area of less than 300 metre square will have to put barricades at a radius of five metres. Only 10 members of the puja committee will be allowed inside everyday.
For pandals covering more area, public will not be allowed inside a radius of 10 metres. A maximum of 45 members of the puja committee will have the permission to venture inside the pandal everyday.
The court has given police the responsibility to ensure that ita directives are being adhered to during the festive days. The division bench also praised the police for its work durig the Durga Puja and asked them to start preparing for the upcoming days immediately.
