Odisha Fire and Emergency Services has issued fire safety certificates to 3,937 temporary fireworks shops after receiving 5,043 applications across the state ahead of Diwali, while hundreds of applications remain under review or in the compliance process.
The department’s figures, reported by The Samaja – Bhubaneswar, show that 84 applications have been rejected, 943 are pending consideration and 79 are undergoing compliance-related processing. The exercise is intended to ensure that temporary fireworks outlets meet prescribed fire safety requirements before selling fireworks during the festival.
The Bhubaneswar-Cuttack twin-city area accounts for 1,208 of the applications received in Odisha. Of these, 711 certificates have been issued, 25 applications have been rejected, 462 remain under consideration and 10 are in the compliance process.
The department is checking whether shops have fire extinguishers, maintain prescribed safety distances and use safe electrical connections. It has also stressed compliance with other notified fire safety requirements for temporary fireworks outlets. Vendors have been advised not to sell fireworks without the necessary permissions and safety arrangements.
The scale of the pending applications is significant for urban areas, where temporary stalls may operate near homes, commercial premises, roads and crowded public spaces. The information released by the department does not specify the locations of the individual outlets or the reasons for each rejection, but it indicates that certification is being processed separately from application submission.
The fire services department has also issued safety guidance for residents during Diwali. It has advised people to burst fireworks only in open and safe places, away from houses, shops, vehicles and crowded areas. Children should use fireworks under adult supervision, while people should maintain a safe distance and keep buckets of water or sand nearby.
Residents have been advised not to relight fireworks that fail to ignite. Lamps and candles should be kept away from curtains, paper, clothing and other combustible materials. Homes and shops should have fire extinguishers where required, and emergency exits should remain unobstructed.
The department has asked residents to use approved green fireworks and follow instructions issued by the relevant authorities. In the event of a fire or another emergency, the public has been asked to contact 112 immediately.
The certification and compliance process remains under way for the applications listed as pending or under compliance. The department’s immediate operational focus is on completing the scrutiny of temporary fireworks shops and ensuring that vendors do not begin or continue sales without the required permissions and fire safety measures.
