The wait’s over! The grand festival of lights is finally here when tricity will come alive with the glow of diyas, sweetness of festive treats and the excitement of celebrations. To ensure residents have a safe Diwali, the tricity administrations have stepped up police deployment in their jurisdictions while emergency services, including fire and medical personnel, are also on standby.
In Chandigarh, 800 police personnel will be deployed and 60 nakas – 40 floating and 20 outer-border – have been set up. Mohali police have set up around 40 nakas across the city. In Panchkula, 773 police personnel will be deployed across the district, with 34 checkpoints at strategic locations. The arrangements include 20 emergency response vehicles, 29 police riders, 12 PCR vehicles and three SWAT teams. 2-hour window for cracker bursting While the festive excitement may extend late into the night, the administration has restricted firecrackers bursting to a two-hour window – 8 pm and 10 pm on Diwali night. The UT has also prohibited the bursting of crackers within 100 metres of hospitals, nursing homes, healthcare centres, educational institutions, courts, religious places and other designated silence zones. In Panchkula, the restriction extends to 300 metres around silence zones. In Chandigarh, action will be taken under Section 223 (disobedience) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, along with applicable provisions of the Disaster Management Act, 2005, the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 and the Explosives Act, 1884. In Panchkula too, violators will face action under Section 223 of the BNS. In Chandigarh, the administration has issued temporary licences to 96 vendors across 13 locations. The largest number of stalls — 15 — have been allotted at the Dussehra Ground in Sector 43. Other prominent sale sites include the open ground near Shitla Mata Mandir in Manimajra, the old Rehri Market ground in Sector 46 and the Sabzi Mandi ground in Ram Darbar, Sector 33-C, Sector 37-C near the Mandir, Gujarat Bhawan in Sector 24, Sabzi Mandi Ground in Sector 29, the open ground behind Nanaksar Gurudwara Sahib in Sector 28, Dussehra Ground near RBI Colony in Sector 30, the open Sabzi Mandi ground near Ryan International Public School in Sector 49, Ramleela Ground near the Community Centre in Sector 40 and the open ground in Dhanas. In Mohali, the administration has identified 15 sites for firecracker stalls and is issuing 43 temporary sale licences. Of these, 18 are for Mohali and Banur, seven for Kharar and Kurali, six for Dera Bassi and 12 for Lalru and Zirakpur. Designated locations include the Phase 8 vegetable market ground opposite Gurdwara Amb Sahib and the Saras Mela ground in Sector 88, Mohali, besides Shaheed Udham Singh Stadium in Banur and designated grounds and vacant spaces in Kharar, Kurali, Nayagaon, Zirakpur, Dhakoli, Dera Bassi and Lalru. In Panchkula district, 10 temporary stalls have been set up near Government College in Kalka, five in Pinjore, three in Raipur Rani and one each in Ramgarh and Barwala. In the urban areas, stalls have been set up in Sector 5, behind the HAFED building. PGIMER puts special eye emergency services in place PGIMER has also made special emergency arrangements to deal with firecracker-related eye injuries and other emergencies from November 8 to 10. For eye emergencies, people can contact: 9814014464 and Advanced Eye Centre Emergency: 6117 AQI satisfactory on Diwali eve
The nakas will remain operational throughout the day and night. PCR vehicles and police motorcycles will patrol busy market areas. Police will keep a close watch on markets, religious places, public gathering points and sensitive locations. Vehicles will also be checked at the district’s entry and exit points, where barricading has been put in place. In Chandigarh and Panchkula, only green crackers are permitted. Consumers can identify genuine green crackers by checking for the official CSIR-NEERI green fireworks logo and a unique QR code on the packaging. Series crackers, better known as laris, are strictly prohibited. Any violation will invite legal action. Where to buy crackers Residents have been advised to purchase crackers only from authorised vendors and designated sale points. Online sales have been prohibited, with e-commerce platforms, including Amazon and Flipkart, barred from accepting orders or delivering firecrackers within Chandigarh. No applications were received from Nayagaon. The department has advised residents to maintain a safe distance while lighting or watching fireworks, avoid allowing children to handle crackers independently and refrain from using hazardous fireworks. People should also avoid rubbing or pressing an injured eye or attempting home remedies.
Deputy superintendent of police (DSP) Varinder Khosa said police are working round-the-clock to maintain law and order and ensure public safety. “Fire brigade teams have also been positioned at locations where firecrackers are being sold,” he said. Dr Usha Singh, head of the department, said, “We have made dedicated arrangements to ensure that every patient reporting with an eye emergency gets prompt medical attention and specialist care.
Meanwhile, the Chandigarh municipal corporation will deploy fogging machines, sprinklers and anti-smog guns to help prevent deterioration in air quality. The city’s AQI stood at 76 on Saturday, falling in the satisfactory category, according to the Central Pollution Control Board.
