TN govt sets 2 slots of one-hour each for cracker burning on Diwali

The Tamil Nadu government on Friday fixed two slots of one-hour each for bursting crackers, between 6 am and 7 am, and between 7 pm and 8 pm, on Diwali.

The state government's decision comes after Supreme Court bench comprising Justice AK Sikri and Justice Ashok Bhushan modified the judgement of the apex court in which it had set a time period for bursting of crackers on Diwali and New Year.

The bench, in its order on October 30, modified its earlier ruling of fixing a definite time slot of two hours between 8 pm and 10 pm for bursting firecrackers on Diwali and ruled that the timing can be changed in places such as Tamil Nadu and Puducherry but will not exceed two hours for the day.

Last month, the Supreme Court had refused to impose a blanket ban on the sale of firecrackers ahead of the festive season. The bench also allowed the sale and manufacture of firecrackers.

Last year, the top court had imposed a temporary ban on the sale of firecrackers in the national capital. The court had then said that the temporary ban was to test the effects of such bans on pollution levels.