Kolkata firecracker violations have been reported across several neighbourhoods more than a week before Diwali and Kali Puja, with residents citing loud noise, safety risks and the difficulty of enforcing restrictions in narrow lanes and congested areas. The reports come despite state guidelines allowing only certified green crackers during a designated two-hour window on Kali Puja.
Residents reported bursts of firecrackers on Friday evening in Burrabazar, Girish Park, CR Avenue, Bangur, Kankurgachhi, Baguiati, New Town, Sinthi, Kalikapur, Behala, Chetla, Kasba and parts of New Alipore. Several of these areas have repeatedly figured in complaints about firecracker violations during the festive season.
Richa Ghosh, a resident of Bagmari Road in Kankurgachhi, said crackers had been burst in the area since Thursday, even though Diwali and Kali Puja were still more than a week away. She said the activity was disturbing residents and amounted to a violation of government guidelines.
Residents also raised concerns about the risks in narrow lanes, where groups can burst crackers and quickly return indoors. Amit Gupta, a shop owner on Brojodulal Street in Posta, said he had seen a group bursting crackers in a lane near Kali Krishna Tagore Street before dispersing. He said pedestrians and two-wheeler riders using the busy stretch could have been injured.
Reports from suburban areas also indicated that banned firecrackers were being used or stored in high-rise buildings. Police sources and individuals who said they had bought such crackers alleged that prohibited varieties were already available in some city markets, with some purchases reportedly made in Nungi in South 24 Parganas.
One Bangur resident said he had bought firecrackers from Nungi for his two sons and that some produced loud sounds. He also claimed that there had been little checking while he transported them by car to Kolkata. The resident said he planned to return to the market on Sunday. The account could not independently establish the extent of illegal sales or transport.
For Kali Puja on November 8, firecrackers will be permitted only between 8pm and 10pm under the restrictions reiterated by the state government. The guidelines state that only certified green crackers may be used, while conventional firecrackers remain prohibited. The government has warned that violations of the court-mandated window could lead to legal action, including seizure of illegal fireworks and possible arrests.
The restrictions also state that only green crackers manufactured by 1,700 manufacturers approved by the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute are legal. Their names are available on the relevant website. Sound-emitting crackers must remain within the prescribed 125-decibel limit, while the limit for light-emitting fireworks is 90 decibels. Firecrackers are prohibited within 100 metres of hospitals, nursing homes, educational institutions and other designated silence zones.
The rules further require permission from the fire department for releasing sky lanterns. The early violations have placed attention on how these conditions will be monitored across dense neighbourhoods, commercial streets, residential complexes and suburban markets. An officer of Posta police station said the station had not received any complaints. The state’s restrictions will apply during the permitted window on Kali Puja on November 8.
