Firecrackers

Eight killed in mishap at firecracker manufacturing unit in Andhra Pradesh

Eight people, including two women, were killed and seven others injured in a fire accident at a firecracker manufacturing unit in the Anakapalli district of Andhra Pradesh on Sunday. "Eight people, including two women, died, and seven others were injured in the fire accident. While the injured are being shifted to hospitals, further details are awaited," State Home Minister V Anitha told PTI. The accident occurred at around 12:45 pm, and officials are currently focused on recovering the bodies and shifting the injured to hospitals. Locals are also assisting the police at the scene, a police official said. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu expressed shock over the incident and directed Minister Anitha and district officials to ensure proper medical care for the injured, an official release said. CM Naidu also ordered an inquiry into the incident and asked officials to submit a report to him. YSRCP chief Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy also expressed shock and urged the gover

Necessary to tackle pollution: SC refuses to relax ban on firecrackers

The Supreme Court on Thursday refused to relax the ban imposed on the manufacture, storage and sale on firecrackers in Delhi-NCR noting air pollution levels had remained alarming for a considerable time. A bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan said a large section of the population worked on streets and was the worst affected by pollution. Not everybody can afford an air purifier at their residence or place of work to fight pollution, the bench said. "Several orders passed by this court during last six months bring on the record the horrible situation with which prevailed in Delhi due to very high levels of air pollution...Right to health is an essential part of Article 21 of the constitution so is the Right to live in a pollution free atmosphere," the court said. Unless the court was satisfied that the pollution due to the "so-called" green crackers was bare minimum, there was no question of reconsidering the previous orders, it added. The top court said the orders passe

Gujarat: PM Modi announces Rs 2 L ex-gratia for kin of Banaskantha accident

According to officials, the explosion at the firecracker godown in the Deesa area on Tuesday morning led to the collapse of the structure, trapping several workers inside

Police nabs Gujarat firecracker godown's owner where blast-fire killed 21

Police on Tuesday arrested the owner of a godown near Deesa town in Gujarat's Banaskantha district, hours after a powerful blast and fire killed 21 persons there, officials said. Firecrackers were allegedly stored and manufactured illegally at the godown, they said. Deepak Mohnani, who owns the godown, was arrested by a team of Banaskantha police from neighbouring Sabarkantha district on Tuesday night, Inspector General of Border Range Chirag Koradia said. "We have arrested the main accused, Deepak Mohnani from a place in Sabarkantha," the Range IG told PTI. The warehouse - Deepak Traders - was owned by Deepak and his father Khubchand Mohnani, officials earlier said. The explosion, which occurred approximately at 9.45 am, flattened the godown in an industrial area near Deesa town, around 30 km from the Banaskantha district headquarters. "All the deceased persons were originally from Harda and Dewas districts of Madhya Pradesh," district collector Mihir Patel said. At least 21 ..

Delhi govt imposes perpetual ban on manufacture, use, sale of firecrackers

The Delhi government on Thursday imposed a "perpetual ban" on the manufacture, use and sale of firecrackers, including through online platforms, in the national capital, according to an official order. Principal Secretary (environment) of the Delhi government A K Singh invoked the "perpetual ban" on firecrackers under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. The ban covers the manufacturing, storage, and selling, including delivery through online marketing platforms, of all kinds of firecrackers and their bursting in Delhi, said the order. The move comes amid Delhi facing hazardous air pollution levels leading to a range of restrictions including a ban on construction activities and entry of trucks in the city.

No religion supports pollution or compromises public health, says SC

The Supreme Court stated that no religion supports actions harming public health and urged states to report pollution control efforts

Delhi residents defy firecracker ban, light up sky with Diwali festivities

The Delhi sky lit up on Thursday as people celebrated Diwali defying a ban on firecrackers. Areas including Lajpat Nagar, Kalkaji, Chhatarpur, Jaunapur, East of Kailash, Saket, Rohini, Dwarka, Punjabi Bagh, Vikas Puri, Dilshad Garden, Burari and many other neighbourhoods of east and west Delhi saw firecrackers being burst. At 9 pm, Delhi's Air Quality Index (AQI) was recorded at 327, with Alipur, Anand Vihar, Ashok Vihar, Aaya Nagar, Bawana, Burari, Mathura Road, IGI Airport, Dwarka, Jahangirpuri, Mundka, Narela, Patparganj, Rohini, Shadipur, Sonia Vihar, Wazirpur, Mandir Marg, Nehru Nagar, Najafgarh and other weather-monitoring stations witnessing "very poor" air quality, according to the Sameer app that provides hourly updates of the National AQI published by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). With the 24-hour AQI recorded at 328 at 4 pm, Delhi experienced its worst air quality on Diwali in the last three years. Following the practice of the last four years, the city ...

Diwali 2024 Firecrackers banned in all these Indian states Check details

Diwali firecrackers cause 875% spike in pollution, reveals new report

Indian states such as Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, and Haryana, where pollution is already a significant issue, PM2.5 levels surge to dangerous levels on Diwali night

Delhi govt bans crackers to combat pollution, BJP seeks justification

The Delhi government on Monday imposed an immediate ban on the production, storage, sale, and use of all kinds of firecrackers across the city, effective until January 1. Reacting to the ban, the Delhi BJP questioned the rationale behind the annual restriction on firecrackers during Diwali and accused the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government of implementing it without presenting any scientific evidence, according to a party statement. Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai made the announcement and urged residents to support the government's efforts to curb air pollution. Rai in a post on X said, "In view of the increasing pollution in winter, a ban has been imposed on the production, storage, sale, and use of firecrackers from today till January 1." "The Delhi government has issued instructions regarding the ban, and we request the cooperation of all Delhiites," he added. The Delhi Pollution Control Committee has issued detailed instructions to ensure the effective implementation of th

Two more die in cracker factory blast in UP taking death toll to five

At least three persons were killed and as many injured following a blast at a firecracker manufacturing unit in a village here on Wednesday, police said. The explosion, which took place in the Sirauli police station area, also caused damage to some adjoining buildings, they added. The police said they are verifying the licence of the cracker unit's operator Nasir. A senior police officer said Nasir allegedly had the licence for another place but the house where the incident took place belonged to his in-laws. "Three people have died and at least as many injured in an explosion at a firecracker making unit in Sirauli area of Bareilly district," Inspector General (Bareilly Range) Rakesh Singh told PTI. "The explosion has also led to damages in three-four adjoining buildings. The man operating the firecracker unit has been identified as one Nasir. He is said to have been in possession of a licence, details of which are being looked into," Singh added. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath

Factory explosion in Firozabad kills 4, including 3-yr-old; 6 hospitalised

Four persons, including a three-year-old girl and a woman, were killed in a sudden explosion at a firecracker godown-cum-factory in Uttar Pradesh's Firozabad district, police said on Tuesday. Six persons were injured in the incident, which took place in the factory located in the Naushera area under Shikohabad police station limits on Monday night, a senior police official said. The bodies of the deceased have been sent for postmortem and the injured have been hospitalised, the official said. Deepak Kumar, IG, Agra range, who reached the incident spot and inspected it, told PTI, "So far about 10 people have been rescued from the building, of which four have died while, six injured have been admitted to the hospital." "There is still a possibility of some people being buried under the debris," Kumar added. Team of fire and police departments, and district administration are engaged in relief work under supervision of the superintendent of police and CMO officials, he said. Accordi

Puri firecracker explosion: 2 more succumb to burns, toll mounts to 11

The death toll in the explosion of a stockpile of firecrackers in Odisha's Puri mounted to 11 after two of the injured people died, a senior official said on Sunday. Nineteen people are currently undergoing treatment in various hospitals in Puri, Bhubaneswar and Cuttack. Altogether 30 people were injured in the explosion that happened during Lord Jagannath's 'Chandan Yatra', a ritual, on the night of May 29. Two more persons died in the tragedy in Puri. The total death toll increased to 11. Presently, 19 patients are under medical treatment in different hospitals, the office of the Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) said in a statement. Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and BJP's Puri Lok Sabha candidate Sambit Patra met family members of the deceased on Saturday evening. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had ordered an inquiry into the accident and announced an ex gratia of Rs 4 lakh to the next of kin of each deceased. The Puri collector has taken steps for the payment of ex-gratia,

Sudden explosion at fireworks manufacturing unit in Sivakasi guts godown

A sudden explosion at a fireworks manufacturing unit in Sivakasi completely gutted three rooms of a godown in the wee hours of Saturday, police said. There, however, was no loss of life as the workers were yet to report for work for the day, police said. This is the second such incident this week coming two days after the blaze at Sengamalapatti fireworks unit that claimed ten lives. Preliminary enquiry by the police and district administration revealed that this private factory in Sengamalapatti employed more workers than the permitted numbers and had indulged in making firecrackers without adhering to safety protocols, a senior police official said. He indicated that appropriate action such as temporary cancellation of licence would be taken in view of violations at the unit. Today's mishap at the Narayanapuram unit occurred at about 6 am and the loud explosion ripped off the roof of the godown and gutted three rooms where the fireworks were stored. Fire tenders were immediatel

Over 15 firecracker stalls, dozen vehicles gutted in fire in Jharkhand

Over 15 firecracker stalls, a dozen motorcycles and a pickup van were gutted in a blaze in Jharkhand's East Singhbhum district on Saturday, police said. The incident took place near a busy 'haat' (weekly market) set up in Kerukocha village in Chakulia block for the upcoming Tusu festival commencing on Monday. However, no casualty was reported in the incident, Ghatsila Sub-divisional Police Officer Kuldip Toppo said, adding further investigation is underway to ascertain the cause of the fire. A fire tender was pressed into service and the blaze was doused after over an hour. "The fire erupted in a firecracker stall set up illegally on a ground near the market and quickly spread to 14 other firecracker stalls. A total of 13 motorcycles and a pickup van were also gutted in the blaze," Shyamsunderpur police station officer-in-charge Dilip Kumar said. Stating that the stalls were set up without permission, he said the traders have been identified and action will be taken against ...

Railways launch drive against inflammable items including firecrackers

To make the train journey safer, Railways urged passengers to be careful and not carry or let their co-passengers carry inflammable objects while travelling on trains

Bikers arrested for performing risky stunts, bursting firecrackers in TN

In the video, the biker can be seen driving the bike at a high speed on one wheel by raising the front wheel off the road for a brief period and bursting firecrackers

BJP giving 'absurd' justifications for cracker bursting during Diwali: Min

Environment Minister Gopal Rai on Tuesday said people associated with the BJP are offering "absurd" justifications for supporting firecracker bursting during Diwali, which resulted in a sharp spike in pollution levels in the national capital. Rai also emphasised that the Delhi government plans to bolster its water sprinkling efforts by deploying additional water sprinklers and anti-smog guns in areas recording hazardous pollution levels. "The BJP alleges that the AAP government in Delhi failed to curb firecracker bursting. However, it's the BJP-controlled police in Delhi, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh that failed to prevent firecracker burning during Diwali, not the Delhi government," Rai told PTI. "When questioned about firecracker bursting, a BJP leader attributed it to the unused environmental cess in Delhi. Is this the reason for instigating people to burn firecrackers?" Rai questioned. "Another BJP leader, when questioned about the fireworks on the day after Diwali, claimed peopl

LIVE: NDMC doubles parking fee amid increasing pollution post Diwali

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Didn't SC ban firecrackers: Cong questions violation of ban on fireworks

Trinamool Congress MP Saket Gokhale also wrote to the Delhi police on Monday seeking information on cases filed against the bursting of firecrackers on Diwali night