Deepavali: Trade body requests Tamil Nadu CM Stalin to allow cracker shops to remain open 24×7

“After a gap of two years, the people are getting ready to welcome the festival of lights. To ease their cracker purchase, the government should consider allowing the shops to remain open without any time restrictions across the state. Here at Island grounds, 100 per cent safety is ensured and all facilities have been made for people to park their vehicles. We also thank the DGP (Director General of Police) for giving directions to the officials to not make the traders run from pillar to post to obtain the licence. The police should provide us security and they should not force us in any manner to close shops early,” he said.

Vikramaraja added that though the chief minister had issued orders to allow shops and commercial establishments to remain open round the clock, there were certain restrictions in some districts and they wanted that to be lifted.

“We have two demands… One is to ensure that the shops remain open throughout the day and another is to extend the time for bursting crackers. We are planning to meet the chief minister tomorrow (Tuesday) regarding this,” he told indianexpress.com.

Based on the orders of the Supreme Court, the Tamil Nadu Government issued directions allowing only the sale of green crackers made of permitted chemicals. Also, the government has provided permission for the public to burst crackers during two fixed time windows.

The public is allowed to burst crackers only between 6 am to 7 am and later in the evening between 7 pm and 8 pm on Diwali (October 24).

The Greater Chennai Police in their orders noted that no crackers making more than 125 decibels of sound, should be manufactured, used, or sold. Chinese-made crackers have also not been permitted to be sold or used.