Don't have any equipment to measure decibel levels of firecrackers: Police officers

Police officers said they do not have any equipment to measure the decibel levels of the firecrackers or the smoke they emit following the Supreme Court's order allowing conditional sale and manufacture of low emission firecrackers.

The apex court Tuesday permitted the sale and manufacture of low emission "green" firecrackers countrywide and fixed a two-hour time period from 8 pm to 10 pm for bursting them on Diwali and other festivals, and made the station house officers liable if banned firecrackers were sold in their area.

Some shopkeepers also informed police officers they do not have any fresh stock of firecrackers and the stocks are two years old and in such a short period of time they would not be able to get fresh stocks.

The Supreme Court said the noise and smoke emission limits of the crackers will have to be approved by the Petroleum and Explosive Safety Organization (PESO), under the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion, Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

It also said that station house officers of police stations concerned will be held liable if banned firecrackers are sold in their area.

Delhi Police public relation officer and Deputy Commissioner of Police (New Delhi) Madhur Verma said it will be ensured that the Supreme Court order is fully enforced.

"The Delhi Police's Licensing Branch will be holding a meeting with the PESO officials to understand the certification criteria and the station house officers will be made aware about the guidelines. Meetings will be held with resident welfare associations to sensitise them to encourage bursting of crackers only between 8 to 10 pm and at designated places," Verma said.

The officer added they will also be issuing advertisements to create awareness about the issue.

In 2016, the Delhi Police had issued 968 licenses for temporary sale of firecrackers and this year the limit has been fixed at 50 per cent of this number, the officer said.

An inspector posted in the central district said, "There are no instruments to measure the decibel levels of the firecrackers, but the senior officers might direct the licensing branch of the Delhi Police to frame some guidelines for issuing licenses."
"We held a meeting with the shopkeepers selling firecrackers and they said they have stocks which are two years old. They said in such a short span of time they would not be able to get fresh stocks and even asked us for suggestions to dispose off their old stock whose sale won't be possible."