Bombay High Court asks Maharashtra civic bodies to follow rules on sale, storage of firecrackers

Mumbai: The Bombay High Court today asked civic bodies in Maharashtra to strictly implement rules for firecracker storage in their respective ward areas and take action against those found guilty of violating the conditions. [caption id=“attachment_3072602” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. AFP[/caption] The order comes ahead of Diwali festival later this week. “Make a thorough check in all the ward areas and find out whether any licence holder has violated the rules of storing firecrackers and take action against the offenders,” said a division bench headed by Justice VM Kanade while hearing a petition. The petition raised issues concerning sale and storage of firecrackers in residential areas without following rules and regulations. “Everyone has the right to practise their religion and enjoy festivals, but they do not have any right to cause harm to others,” the bench observed while posting the matter to 30 November for further hearing. Earlier, the high court had observed that shops storing firecrackers should not be set up in residential areas and directed civic bodies in the state to ensure strict compliance with rules related to keeping of these small explosive devices to avoid any mishap. The court had also expressed concern over incidents of explosions in factories and shops where firecrackers are made and stored. It had also observed that firecrackers are burst not only during Diwali but also in other festivals. The high court had suggested that shops where crackers are stored should not be located in residential areas. “Ideally, such shops should be located in open spaces so that damage in case of some untoward incident is minimal and it becomes easier for monitoring,” the court had said.