Dimapur, December 20 (MExN): In an advisory issued on Wednesday, Dimapur's Commissioner of Police (CP), Kevithuto Sophie, reiterated a prior order regarding fireworks and cautioned the public about the prohibition on bursting firecrackers.
To ensure a safe and eco-friendly environment, he appealed to all citizens to be responsible and refrain from using firecrackers.
Loud explosions and toxic gases from firecrackers pose environmental hazards and can cause significant stress, fear, and other health-related issues in both animals and humans, he said.
However, he noted that on Christmas’ Eve and New Year's Eve, the use of firecrackers will be strictly limited from 11:55 pm to 12:30 am only.
During this period, only Reduced Emission firecrackers (Improved crackers) and Reduced Emission firecrackers (Green crackers), as prescribed and approved by the Petroleum and Explosive Safety Organization (PESO), would be permitted for use.
The advisory emphasised that the sale of firecrackers must exclusively occur through licensed traders, and these traders are required to offer only permissible firecrackers.
Additionally, fireworks are prohibited in silence zones or within 100 meters of hospitals, nursing homes, primary and district health-care centres, educational institutions, courts, religious places, or any other area declared as a silence zone by the authorities, it said.
Manufacture, sale, and use of joined firecrackers or fireworks containing specific chemical compounds, as well as those generating noise levels exceeding specified limits, will be strictly prohibited, it added.
Violators of these regulations will face penalties in accordance with the provisions of the law, the advisory warned.
