Guidelines for licence renewal of cracker shops

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, April 19, 2016: From next year, getting ‘no-objection certificates’ (NOC) from the police and the fire and emergency services will be mandatory for licence renewal to sell firecrackers. The rule will be not applicable this year as the process of renewing licence has already commenced.

Up till now, NOCs were sought only at the time of issuance of the licence.

This is one among the many changes the district administration has made in the wake of the recent fireworks tragedy at a temple in Kollam in Kerala which left 108 persons dead.

There are 50 shops in the district – 20 in Mangaluru alone – that have LE5 licence to store and sell crackers. The district administration is yet to find shops that are operating without taking necessary permission.

There are seven units in the district that have LE1 licence to manufacture crackers. Two teams with an Assistant Commissioner, Deputy Superintendent of Police, and a Fire and Emergency Department official each has been formed to visit cracker-manufacturing units in the district, and review safety and other mandatory compliances.

Meeting

At a meeting held on April 16 with licence-holders, Additional Deputy Commissioner Kumar said they need to get NOCs from the police and fire and emergency services before submitting application for licence renewal. He said the licences of five shops which did not renew it would be revoked.

A fire and emergency services official said that the NOCs would be given only to cracker shops located independently, and those which complied with all requirements stated in the Explosive Rules 2008.

Deputy Commissioner A.B. Ibrahim asked sellers to keep a separate register for sale of crackers beyond Rs. 1 lakh.

 

Courtesy: The Hindu