run their shop. Till last year, they were doing business after procuring licence from the police department.
The fire and emergency services department of Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) has decided to permit sale of firecrackers only after the shop owners get NOC from fire department and promise to sell the crackers at an open space, to avoid any untoward incident. Eight years ago, a person was killed in a major fire which had broke out at a cracker shop at busy Shahid Chowk.
Chief fire officer Chandrashekhar Jadhav said, "This time we will allow stalls to be set up only at open sites which will be earmarked by the fire department itself. We will not allow any shops to sell crackers in busy market places like Mahal, Sitabuldi etc."
He, however, clarified that the wholesale shops can carry out their businesses as usual. There are around 30 wholesale shops of fire crackers in the city, informed Jadhav. He said most of the shop owners violate the norms by running small shops under the one licence. He warned strict action would be taken against those found guilty.
"Valuing the seriousness of sale of crackers in busy areas, the department has decided to make it mandatory for the traders to get NOC from it," said Jadhav adding, "We have also written a letter to the commissioner of police Praveen Dixit not to give permission to sale crackers unless they (traders) get NOC from us."
Speaking about safety measures, Jadhav said, "The minimum distance between two shops selling fire-crackers has to be at least 15 metres and the fire extinguisher kit has to be in working condition. The department will conduct surprise raids to check unauthorised storing of fire-crackers in residential areas and godowns."
The electricity department has been asked to ensure that no loose wires are hung in the area where crackers were being sold, said the CFO.
Sources in NMC said that the maximum number of stalls to sell fire-crackers come up just a week before Diwali.
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