Cops check cracker samples at Tala Park on Friday. photo by Sayantan Chakraborty
Kolkata: Eighteen of 120 green cracker samples submitted by fireworks traders failed the police check at Tala Park on Friday, with police asking the traders to ensure that unbranded or unpacked crackers are not sold at the four Bazi Baazars. Police also inspected Tala Park on Friday, where the organisers have put in requests for 17 new stalls this year. A police officer told TOI that 44 stalls were allowed at the Tala Park Bazi Baazar last year, besides one stall for office work. “Not more than 50 stalls are allowed. We must see whether 17 more can be allowed,” said the officer.
“We found that 18 samples submitted for tests did not clear the checks held in presence of pollution control board (PCB) and National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) officials,” said Sekharesh Nath, assistant commissioner of police, Arms Act department. We will also conduct random checks before the start of Bazi Baazars,” a police officer said. Even for packed stuff, the name of the manufacturer must be mentioned externally, and it must match with the list of approved green cracker manufacturers,” said the officer. Cops said crackers sold outside the fairs are mostly illegal stuff as most of the retailers lack a licence to sell. “We provide a temporary licence for a week to sell crackers, only if the retailer has clearances from PCB, CESC and the fire services department,” a cop said.
There was no bursting of crackers, but police matched the manufacturer’s name on the packs of samples submitted with a list of approved manufacturers published by NEERI. “We handed over the list of approved manufacturers to the Bazi Baazar organisers. They must now ensure that green crackers manufactured by approved makers are only sold. “Any green cracker that is without packing cannot be sold. Bazi Baazars are preferred by many law-abiding citizens for buying crackers as they are held under the watch of police.