Gurugram, Noida residents working their way around SC ban to buy firecrackers

Gurugram: Citizens in the Millennum City who usually spend Diwali bursting firecrackers are looking for alternate ways to acquire some to enjoy their day of festivities.

With the shops in the city are not selling any firecrackers after the order on the ban of selling the same in Delhi-NCR on October 9 by the Supreme Court, the residents have taken an online route to get their stocks.

Taking note of the huge rush, most of the online selling platforms have also reduced their prices or are providing discounts so that their inventories can get over.

Meanwhile, Vinay Pratap Singh, the Deputy Commissioner of Gurugram has given a leeway to residents who possessing crackers to burst them from 6:30 pm to 9:30 pm on the day of Diwali.

Gurugram at the moment stand among one of the most polluted places in the country.

However, the ban on sale of crackers has divided citizens who have opined that there are other major factors that need to be tackled to curb the levels of deadly pollution.

The District administration on their part is trying to create awareness on having a cracker free Diwali.

Likewise in Noida, people are now seeking ways to arrange firecrackers from nearby cities and towns to celebrate the annual festival on October 19.

The ban seems to have put no affect on their enthusiasm for the festival and are even ready to pay high prices. Those shopkeepers or suppliers who already has a huge stock of crackers from last year or have bought a fresh stock before the ban, are making huge profits by selling these crackers at a hike of 30-40 per cent from the previous year.

People in Noida who have bought crackers from a place in Delhi told Millennium Post, "We have no other option than to buy crackers at an increased price. The shopkeepers who are still selling crackers in a stealthy way are earning profits on the name of GST and risk after the ban. The SC should find and put a check on other reasons for the rise in air pollution rather than hurting sentiments of a particular community".