Banned firecrackers are being openly sold in Nungi, Daulatpur, Chingripota and Maheshtala in South 24-Parganas, just three days before Diwali, even as police say nearly 300kg of illegal crackers has been seized from the area. Sellers told The Telegraph that high-decibel varieties, including chocolate bombs and shells, remained available or could be restocked within a day.
Nungi, around 20km south of Kolkata, is one of the largest firecracker hubs in South 24-Parganas after Champahati. Several thousand households in and around the area traditionally make firecrackers during the festive season. Most products are sold locally, although some are transported to Kolkata and Howrah, with buyers travelling to Nungi and neighbouring areas for lower-priced supplies.
On Thursday afternoon, sellers at shops along Daulatpur Road and in Chingripota and Phoolbagan said demand for banned products was high. One trader said stocks of chocolate bombs had run out but indicated that fresh supplies would arrive shortly. Sellers quoted prices of about ₹250 to ₹300 for different packs of chocolate bombs, while shells were being sold at prices ranging from ₹150 to ₹400, depending on the variety and pack.
Some traders also advised buyers on how to transport the crackers while avoiding police checks. They suggested using two-wheelers and roads instead of suburban trains, and said further route information would be provided after customers reached their shops. The sellers’ statements could not be independently verified beyond the observations and accounts reported from the area.
Kolkata Police has decided to register cases against traders selling banned firecrackers under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. People transporting illegal crackers from the districts or from outside West Bengal will face cases under the Explosive Substances Act, according to the police. Teams have also been formed to meet residents’ welfare associations and people living in standalone buildings and remind them of the prescribed timings for bursting crackers.
Chocolate bombs, shells and dodomas are among the products prohibited for exceeding prescribed noise limits. The permissible noise level for firecrackers is 125 decibels when measured at a distance of four metres from the source. The state government has said that only green crackers will be permitted, and sellers are expected to display the green logo on eligible packets.
Senior officers of the Diamond Harbour police district said seizures were being made almost every day from different parts of the district, including Nungi and Maheshtala. A senior officer at Maheshtala police station said close to 300kg of banned crackers had already been seized from shops in Baazipara, Khan Para and Phoolbagan under Daulatpur.
Across Nungi, Champahati and Maheshtala, several households that traditionally manufacture firecrackers have shifted to green varieties. Some traders also said household production of banned crackers had declined compared with previous years. Police enforcement and seizures are continuing in the area ahead of Diwali.
