While the police department is busy with the final arrangements regarding allotment of sites of crackers,the Deputy Commissioner,Rahul Tiwari has asked the masses to celebrate a pollution-free Diwali. He has appealed residents to distribute plants as gifts and reduce pollution by firing off fewer crackers. ADC S R Kler,who chaired a meeting of noise pollution monitoring cell on Monday,said: We have asked the residents to have a pollution-free Diwali and they should not buy the crackers which produce a lot of noise or pollution. The draw of lot for the eight sites where crackers can be sold will be done on September 29 in which more than 400 stalls will be installed. The main site will be at Dana Mandi where about 80 wholesalers will be putting up their stalls. The excise department has put a fee of Rs 25,000 for a cracker stall as lump-sum tax from wholesalers apart from the collection of tax from retailers as well. Apart from the lump-sum stall fee,they will also have to deposit VAT on the stock of crackers,revealed excise officials. The department collected around Rs 80 lakhs through taxes last year. This year,it aims to cross Rs one crore. Meanwhile the NGO Bharat Jan Gyan Vigyan Jatha has asked administration to make efforts in reducing noise pollution during Diwali. They will also be organising seminars in various city schools to spread awareness.
