Follow NGT guidelines while celebrating Diwali: Collector D Muralihdar Reddy

Kakinada: District Collector D Muralihdar Reddy stated that people should strictly follow the directions and guidelines issued by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) and government to celebrate Diwali between 8 pm to 10 pm and use only green crackers.

He said the State government had issued the directives to protect public health in view of the risk of death posed by fireworks to people recovering from the current Covid-19 conditions and to sensitive people at risk of contracting the disease.

The Collector instructed the vendors to keep a distance of at least 10 feet between fireworks stalls. People who buy fireworks are told to follow the physical distance of exactly 6 feet in the queues at the shops. He advised the people burning fireworks not to use flammable hand sanitizers and use soap and water instead.

Amalapuram Sub-Collector Himanshu Kaushik directed vendors selling Diwali ammunition to abide by the Covid-19 norms. Along with DSP Sheikh Masoom Bhasa, he visited the proposed Diwali crackers stalls at Balayogi Stadium in Amalapuram on Wednesday. He said that every vendor at the shop should display the placards 'No Smoke', 'No Mask- No Sales'.