<p>The government launched the Goods and Services Tax (GST) in July this year after much resistance from opposition and some sections of public. But the heat has still not subsided; this year, traders in Allahabad are selling Diwali firecrackers with a message condemning the&nbsp;GST pasted on the boxes&nbsp;to express their unhappiness with the government&rsquo;s decision.</p>

<p>&quot;We have launched &#39;GST Bomb&#39;&nbsp;to increase our sales. All these firecrackers are of good quality,&quot; said Kadir, a trader in Allahabad.</p>

<p>But there is more. A range of &#39;anar&#39; (flower pots), one of the most popular Diwali firecrackers, has been named &#39;notebandi (note ban)&#39; -&nbsp;a&nbsp;jibe at government&rsquo;s decision last year to replace the old Rs 500 and 1000 notes with new currency.</p>

<p>These items are a hit in Allahabad market. They are scaling new peaks as far as the sale is concerned, much higher than personality-based firecrackers like &#39;Yogi crackers&#39;, &#39;Modi rocket&#39; and &#39;Rahul Anar&#39;, launched in the market keeping in view elections in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh.</p>

<p>&quot;You can see&nbsp;the photos of many politicians&nbsp;on&nbsp;firecracker boxes here. I am here to buy firecrackers, and I&#39;m thrilled to see all this, how they capitalise on politicians&#39; names during election season,&quot; said Poonam, a resident of Allahabad.</p>

<p>The government has been claiming that GST will usher in a new unified tax regime&nbsp;and make it easier for companies to transact across state borders.</p>

<p>But many are finding that doing business is more complicated than ever.</p>

<p>Ambiguous rules under the new, multi-rate sales tax that went into effect on July 1 have left firms confused on how to price their products. The tax&rsquo;s complex structure - four main rates ranging from 5 to 28 per cent - has hurt sales and risks denting economic growth and government revenues in the months ahead.</p>

<p>Since the launch of the GST, there has been several meetings of the GST Council - a government panel headed by the finance minister - to revise the tax slabs. But traders aren&rsquo;t happy.</p>

<p>&quot;People are either overcharging or undercharging for their work,&quot;&nbsp;said Surinder Paul, who runs one workshop in South Delhi.</p>

<p>Billed as India&rsquo;s biggest tax reform since independence in 1947, the GST replaced more than a dozen federal and state levies and was meant to unify the country into a single market.</p>

<p>While teething troubles were expected, the ensuing chaos has some officials worrying about the repercussions for Asia&rsquo;s third-largest economy. Annual growth slowed in the July-September quarter to 5.7 per cent, its weakest pace in more than two years.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from Reuters)</em></p>


The government launched the Goods and Services Tax (GST) in July this year after much resistance from opposition and some sections of public. But the heat has still not subsided.

The government launched the Goods and Services Tax (GST) in July this year after much resistance from opposition and some sections of public. But the heat has still not subsided; this year, traders in Allahabad are selling Diwali firecrackers with a message condemning the GST pasted on the boxes to express their unhappiness with the government’s decision. "We have launched 'GST Bomb' to increase our sales. All these firecrackers are of good quality," said Kadir, a trader in Allahabad. But there is more. A range of 'anar' (flower pots), one of the most popular Diwali firecrackers, has been named 'notebandi (note ban)' - a jibe at government’s decision last year to replace the old Rs 500 and 1000 notes with new currency. These items are a hit in Allahabad market. They are scaling new peaks as far as the sale is concerned, much higher than personality-based firecrackers like 'Yogi crackers', 'Modi rocket' and 'Rahul Anar', launched in the market keeping in view elections in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh. "You can see the photos of many politicians on firecracker boxes here. I am here to buy firecrackers, and I'm thrilled to see all this, how they capitalise on politicians' names during election season," said Poonam, a resident of Allahabad. The government has been claiming that GST will usher in a new unified tax regime and make it easier for companies to transact across state borders. But many are finding that doing business is more complicated than ever. Ambiguous rules under the new, multi-rate sales tax that went into effect on July 1 have left firms confused on how to price their products. The tax’s complex structure - four main rates ranging from 5 to 28 per cent - has hurt sales and risks denting economic growth and government revenues in the months ahead. Since the launch of the GST, there has been several meetings of the GST Council - a government panel headed by the finance minister - to revise the tax slabs. But traders aren’t happy. "People are either overcharging or undercharging for their work," said Surinder Paul, who runs one workshop in South Delhi. Billed as India’s biggest tax reform since independence in 1947, the GST replaced more than a dozen federal and state levies and was meant to unify the country into a single market. While teething troubles were expected, the ensuing chaos has some officials worrying about the repercussions for Asia’s third-largest economy. Annual growth slowed in the July-September quarter to 5.7 per cent, its weakest pace in more than two years. (With inputs from Reuters)

Firecracker traders take on government this Diwali with 'GST Bomb'

<p>Diwali and Kali Puja are celebrated with equal enthusiasm in virtually every part of India. The deity invoked may be different, but the occasion is almost always accompanied by revelry, feasting and sound, generally in the form of crackers. Music really has little place in these celebrations, quite unlike the occasion of Navratri when in many states, there is a public and private display of music and dance.</p>

<p>In Southern India, we even have the instance of specific Navratri compositions sung in the name of the goddess in all her myriad facets, the Navaratri songs of the composer Swathi Thirunal being an instance in point. In fact, music on display was part of the courtly investment in public celebrations of Navratri whether it was eighteenth-century Travancore or nineteenth century Mysore.</p>

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<h5>Blaring of songs through loudspeakers is common, with organisers having easy access to the repertoire of what is commonly known as shyama sangeet.</h5>
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<p>Diwali, on the other hand, is not conventionally associated with singing or a genre, even in Bengal with its rich traditions of shyama sangeet initiated by the eighteenth-century poet Ramprasad Sen, the celebration of Kali pujo has little to do with music as a feature in ritualistic terms. Admittedly in the public worship of Kali (as the sarbojanik utsav or community festival), the blaring of songs through loudspeakers is common, with organisers having easy access to the repertoire of what is commonly known as shyama sangeet.</p>

<p>The core of the repertoire is the mystical poetry of Ramprasad Sen and Kamalakanta Bhattacharya who lived in the Nadia and Burdwan zamindaris respectively in the late eighteenth century. They produced numerous Sakta songs that became part of a living tradition. However, we do not know how they were sung or when they were standardised.</p>

<p>What we do know is that these songs were published in anthologies and circulated in the world of print from the later decades of the nineteenth century. How they were sung or set to tune is not something that we can easily recover. The style that we now associate with shyama sangeet was in all probability put together by early twentieth century artists such as twentieth-century artists such as Pannalal Bhattacharya and his brother Dhananjay Bhattacharya both of whom were ardent devotees themselves.</p>

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<h5>Radio and subsequently cassette recordings played a key role in popularising the corpus of songs that made up shyama sangeet as a genre and in defining a prominent skein in the music-cultural identity of Bengal.</h5>
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<p>Radio and subsequently cassette recordings played a key role in popularising the corpus of songs that made up shyama sangeet as a genre and in defining a prominent skein in the music-cultural identity of Bengal.</p>

<p>The musical features of this genre are at once simple and straightforward, eminently reproducible and capable of making a quick and enduring impression acoustically. With simple lyrics that address the benign maternal force of the goddess, the tunes are sharp and clear and resonate with theatre music. The melodies are simple, lilting and make a quick impact and thanks to particular modes of accessorisation adopted by later day comperes and radio presenters (Jagnannath Bose of Kali katha fane on FM being an excellent case in point).</p>

<p>The way these songs are sung and presented helps produce a particular register of effect which is extended by mass consumption during festive occasions such as Kali pujo and then becomes an audible marker of identity. The role of FM in this in contemporary times is especially marked, some early morning channels have devotional programmes such as Kali katha with its staple of shyama sangeet rendered by old and new artists, while others combine a judicious mix of Vaishnab keertan, sakta sangeet and adhunik thus making up a distinct Bengali musical profile which is easy to access by listeners.</p>

<p>It is interesting to reflect on the accessibility and comparability of Sakti imagery and tunes especially in relation to Nazrul Geeti or Atulprasadi in Bengal. That the poet Nazrul was deeply moved by the figure of the benign mother and set his own songs to tunes that were informed by raga music is well known and requires no elaboration.</p>

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<h5>The regional register in the reception and adaptation of classical music idioms and style and its deployment in the rendering of more local songs and musical expression to carve a distinct musical identity.</h5>
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<p>What is striking is the regional register in the reception and adaptation of classical music idioms and style and its deployment in the rendering of more local songs and musical expression to carve a distinct musical identity. One can find this especially in the case of Tamil compositions that were popularised in the twentieth century when the political urgency of Tamil nationalism made it imperative to carve a tradition and practice that set it apart from the mainstream Carnatic repertoire.</p>

<p>In the case of Bengal, the articulation of genres and styles such as atulprasadi or nazrulgeeti or indeed shyama sangeet was not as explicitly identified with either language nationalism or caste politics. But in any case, the intervention of mass media consumption and the use of cultural practices such as music during public ritual occasions - secular and otherwise - gave all these genres and forms a new currency that has helped in the consolidation of an aural public that Ramprasad Sen may never have envisaged or foreseen.</p>


Cultural practices and celebration during festivals, give a boost to regional and ancient music

Diwali and Kali Puja are celebrated with equal enthusiasm in virtually every part of India. The deity invoked may be different, but the occasion is almost always accompanied by revelry, feasting and sound, generally in the form of crackers. Music really has little place in these celebrations, quite unlike the occasion of Navratri when in many states, there is a public and private display of music and dance. In Southern India, we even have the instance of specific Navratri compositions sung in the name of the goddess in all her myriad facets, the Navaratri songs of the composer Swathi Thirunal being an instance in point. In fact, music on display was part of the courtly investment in public celebrations of Navratri whether it was eighteenth-century Travancore or nineteenth century Mysore. Blaring of songs through loudspeakers is common, with organisers having easy access to the repertoire of what is commonly known as shyama sangeet. × Diwali, on the other hand, is not conventionally associated with singing or a genre, even in Bengal with its rich traditions of shyama sangeet initiated by the eighteenth-century poet Ramprasad Sen, the celebration of Kali pujo has little to do with music as a feature in ritualistic terms. Admittedly in the public worship of Kali (as the sarbojanik utsav or community festival), the blaring of songs through loudspeakers is common, with organisers having easy access to the repertoire of what is commonly known as shyama sangeet. The core of the repertoire is the mystical poetry of Ramprasad Sen and Kamalakanta Bhattacharya who lived in the Nadia and Burdwan zamindaris respectively in the late eighteenth century. They produced numerous Sakta songs that became part of a living tradition. However, we do not know how they were sung or when they were standardised. What we do know is that these songs were published in anthologies and circulated in the world of print from the later decades of the nineteenth century. How they were sung or set to tune is not something that we can easily recover. The style that we now associate with shyama sangeet was in all probability put together by early twentieth century artists such as twentieth-century artists such as Pannalal Bhattacharya and his brother Dhananjay Bhattacharya both of whom were ardent devotees themselves. Radio and subsequently cassette recordings played a key role in popularising the corpus of songs that made up shyama sangeet as a genre and in defining a prominent skein in the music-cultural identity of Bengal. × Radio and subsequently cassette recordings played a key role in popularising the corpus of songs that made up shyama sangeet as a genre and in defining a prominent skein in the music-cultural identity of Bengal. The musical features of this genre are at once simple and straightforward, eminently reproducible and capable of making a quick and enduring impression acoustically. With simple lyrics that address the benign maternal force of the goddess, the tunes are sharp and clear and resonate with theatre music. The melodies are simple, lilting and make a quick impact and thanks to particular modes of accessorisation adopted by later day comperes and radio presenters (Jagnannath Bose of Kali katha fane on FM being an excellent case in point). The way these songs are sung and presented helps produce a particular register of effect which is extended by mass consumption during festive occasions such as Kali pujo and then becomes an audible marker of identity. The role of FM in this in contemporary times is especially marked, some early morning channels have devotional programmes such as Kali katha with its staple of shyama sangeet rendered by old and new artists, while others combine a judicious mix of Vaishnab keertan, sakta sangeet and adhunik thus making up a distinct Bengali musical profile which is easy to access by listeners. It is interesting to reflect on the accessibility and comparability of Sakti imagery and tunes especially in relation to Nazrul Geeti or Atulprasadi in Bengal. That the poet Nazrul was deeply moved by the figure of the benign mother and set his own songs to tunes that were informed by raga music is well known and requires no elaboration. The regional register in the reception and adaptation of classical music idioms and style and its deployment in the rendering of more local songs and musical expression to carve a distinct musical identity. × What is striking is the regional register in the reception and adaptation of classical music idioms and style and its deployment in the rendering of more local songs and musical expression to carve a distinct musical identity. One can find this especially in the case of Tamil compositions that were popularised in the twentieth century when the political urgency of Tamil nationalism made it imperative to carve a tradition and practice that set it apart from the mainstream Carnatic repertoire. In the case of Bengal, the articulation of genres and styles such as atulprasadi or nazrulgeeti or indeed shyama sangeet was not as explicitly identified with either language nationalism or caste politics. But in any case, the intervention of mass media consumption and the use of cultural practices such as music during public ritual occasions - secular and otherwise - gave all these genres and forms a new currency that has helped in the consolidation of an aural public that Ramprasad Sen may never have envisaged or foreseen.

In the name of the goddess: Music and crackers

<p>Over 1,200 kg of firecrackers have been seized and 29 people arrested by police as part of a drive being carried out after the Supreme Court order temporarily banning the sale of firecrackers.</p>

<p>After the Supreme Court order, Delhi Police commissioner Amulya Patnaik had directed the deputy commissioners of police of the 13 police districts to ensure that crackers are not sold in the city.</p>

<p>Special teams have been deployed in districts to monitor the situation.</p>

<p>In the crackdown, following the Supreme Court order, the police have seized 1,241 kilogrammes of firecrackers and registered 29 FIRs and arrested 29 people, said Madhur Verma, PRO, Delhi Police.</p>

<p>According to the data, eight cases have been registered in the north district against the people found selling firecrackers, the maximum among all the districts.</p>

<p>Police have seized 368 kilogrammes of firecrackers from the southwest district, the maximum among all districts with Rohini a close second at 344.5 kg.</p>

<p>Two Delhi Police personnel posted at the Mangolpuri police station in the outer district were suspended for allegedly failing to curb the sale of firecrackers in their beat areas.</p>


After the Supreme Court order, Delhi Police commissioner Amulya Patnaik had directed the deputy commissioners of police of the 13 police districts to ensure that crackers are not sold in the city.

Over 1,200 kg of firecrackers have been seized and 29 people arrested by police as part of a drive being carried out after the Supreme Court order temporarily banning the sale of firecrackers. After the Supreme Court order, Delhi Police commissioner Amulya Patnaik had directed the deputy commissioners of police of the 13 police districts to ensure that crackers are not sold in the city. Special teams have been deployed in districts to monitor the situation. In the crackdown, following the Supreme Court order, the police have seized 1,241 kilogrammes of firecrackers and registered 29 FIRs and arrested 29 people, said Madhur Verma, PRO, Delhi Police. According to the data, eight cases have been registered in the north district against the people found selling firecrackers, the maximum among all the districts. Police have seized 368 kilogrammes of firecrackers from the southwest district, the maximum among all districts with Rohini a close second at 344.5 kg. Two Delhi Police personnel posted at the Mangolpuri police station in the outer district were suspended for allegedly failing to curb the sale of firecrackers in their beat areas.

Over 1,200 kg firecrackers seized in Delhi, 29 arrested post Supreme Court ban

<p>Nibesh Yadav must hit the road by 8 am sharp. He checks his motorcycle for fuel, loads the day&#39;s orders on his outsized backpack and off he goes to make &quot;khushiyon ki home delivery&quot;.<br />
<br />
With Diwali only days away, this is the high season for online shopping and for delivery boys who traverse from one end of the city to the other dropping off everything, from eye pencils and evening dresses to mixer-grinders and mobile phones.<br />
<br />
Nibesh is among the thousands of delivery boys, who deliver up to 200 packages a day during peak shopping seasons, often for less than Rs 20 each. All the packages must be delivered by 8 pm.<br />
<br />
They are a familiar sight young men, in their 20s and 30s, with huge overloaded backpacks, climbing up and down floors, stepping into creaky lifts and wiping the sweat from their brows at red lights.<br />
<br />
With online portals offering irresistible Diwali sales, the delivery boys are on their toes, toiling for over 12 hours a day to ensure that the package you&#39;ve been waiting for reaches on time.<br />
<br />
&quot;It can be tough but this is what it is,&quot; said Nibesh with a philosophical shrug.<br />
<br />
Many are not directly employed by companies like Amazon, Flipkart and Myntra, but are &#39;outsourced partners&#39;, who come in handy during the festive season when the pressure to deliver is immense.<br />
<br />
Amazon, for instance, has 350 service partner nodes and 1,75,000 &#39;I Have Space&#39; store partners across the country.<br />
<br />
This is in addition to those directly employed at operational centres, said a company spokesperson.<br />
<br />
A Myntra insider added that the company deploys about 1,000 people to tide over the festive rush and also has a MENSA (Myntra Extended Network Through Store Activation) network of close to 2,000 stores across India to enable deliveries.<br />
<br />
While both Amazon and Myntra offer their benefits -- hospitalization and accident insurance, night shift allowance, fuel reimbursement, and provident fund -- to directly employed delivery personnel, these don&#39;t apply to &#39;store owners&#39; like Nibesh. Responses to Flipkart went unanswered.<br />
<br />
The hours are long, the money less.<br />
<br />
Nibesh said he has to pay for the vehicle and the fuel, and also bear the cost of any damage or loss of package.<br />
<br />
&quot;Amazon pays Rs 18 for the delivery of each packet, and Myntra and Jabong pay Rs 14,&quot; said Nibesh, who also delivers for Myntra and Jabong.<br />
<br />
He has employed another boy, and the two move around the city delivering over 100 packages on a regular day. This goes up to 200 packets during the festive rush.<br />
<br />
The packets are stuffed inside a big backpack, which itself weighs 1 kg.<br />
<br />
&quot;The bag ends up weighing something around 35-40 kg. We travel on our bikes and the backpacks on our shoulders make it difficult to balance, especially over speed-breakers. It increases the risk of accidents. There is also the danger of losing or damaging the packages,&quot; he said.<br />
<br />
In older residential colonies in the city, which do not have elevators, he has to carry the weight all the way up, sometimes five floors, and back.<br />
<br />
Praveen Kumar, another &#39;store&#39; owner who has been delivering in Delhi-NCR for over two years now, added that he makes two trips to and from his store every day, carrying 45- 50 packets every time.<br />
<br />
&quot;Sometimes the packets are too heavy, especially if there are shoes. So, I have to make two trips,&quot; he said.<br />
<br />
Managing time is crucial, because a delayed package can land delivery boys like Nibesh and Praveen in trouble.<br />
<br />
&quot;We must deliver all the packets for the day before 8 in the evening,&quot; Praveen said.<br />
<br />
Any delay in delivery, and the customer immediately shoots an email to the company.<br />
<br />
&quot;They do not understand that the delay is not on purpose.<br />
<br />
Sometimes it is the weather, other times it could be an accident or a tyre puncture,&quot; Nibesh said.<br />
<br />
Both lament the humiliating treatment meted out to them by customers.<br />
<br />
Sometimes, for instance, card machines provided by the companies don&#39;t function due to poor network. Some customers are kind enough to go to the ATM and get cash, most simply complain and shout at them.<br />
<br />
&quot;They are extremely disrespectful to us,&quot; said Nibesh.<br />
<br />
Customers celebrate, receiving and giving gifts, and portals rejoice at turnovers as another Diwali comes around.</p>


Nibesh Yadav must hit the road by 8 am sharp. He checks his motorcycle for fuel, loads the day's orders on his outsized backpack and off he goes to make "khushiyon ki home delivery"

Nibesh Yadav must hit the road by 8 am sharp. He checks his motorcycle for fuel, loads the day's orders on his outsized backpack and off he goes to make "khushiyon ki home delivery". With Diwali only days away, this is the high season for online shopping and for delivery boys who traverse from one end of the city to the other dropping off everything, from eye pencils and evening dresses to mixer-grinders and mobile phones. Nibesh is among the thousands of delivery boys, who deliver up to 200 packages a day during peak shopping seasons, often for less than Rs 20 each. All the packages must be delivered by 8 pm. They are a familiar sight young men, in their 20s and 30s, with huge overloaded backpacks, climbing up and down floors, stepping into creaky lifts and wiping the sweat from their brows at red lights. With online portals offering irresistible Diwali sales, the delivery boys are on their toes, toiling for over 12 hours a day to ensure that the package you've been waiting for reaches on time. "It can be tough but this is what it is," said Nibesh with a philosophical shrug. Many are not directly employed by companies like Amazon, Flipkart and Myntra, but are 'outsourced partners', who come in handy during the festive season when the pressure to deliver is immense. Amazon, for instance, has 350 service partner nodes and 1,75,000 'I Have Space' store partners across the country. This is in addition to those directly employed at operational centres, said a company spokesperson. A Myntra insider added that the company deploys about 1,000 people to tide over the festive rush and also has a MENSA (Myntra Extended Network Through Store Activation) network of close to 2,000 stores across India to enable deliveries. While both Amazon and Myntra offer their benefits -- hospitalization and accident insurance, night shift allowance, fuel reimbursement, and provident fund -- to directly employed delivery personnel, these don't apply to 'store owners' like Nibesh. Responses to Flipkart went unanswered. The hours are long, the money less. Nibesh said he has to pay for the vehicle and the fuel, and also bear the cost of any damage or loss of package. "Amazon pays Rs 18 for the delivery of each packet, and Myntra and Jabong pay Rs 14," said Nibesh, who also delivers for Myntra and Jabong. He has employed another boy, and the two move around the city delivering over 100 packages on a regular day. This goes up to 200 packets during the festive rush. The packets are stuffed inside a big backpack, which itself weighs 1 kg. "The bag ends up weighing something around 35-40 kg. We travel on our bikes and the backpacks on our shoulders make it difficult to balance, especially over speed-breakers. It increases the risk of accidents. There is also the danger of losing or damaging the packages," he said. In older residential colonies in the city, which do not have elevators, he has to carry the weight all the way up, sometimes five floors, and back. Praveen Kumar, another 'store' owner who has been delivering in Delhi-NCR for over two years now, added that he makes two trips to and from his store every day, carrying 45- 50 packets every time. "Sometimes the packets are too heavy, especially if there are shoes. So, I have to make two trips," he said. Managing time is crucial, because a delayed package can land delivery boys like Nibesh and Praveen in trouble. "We must deliver all the packets for the day before 8 in the evening," Praveen said. Any delay in delivery, and the customer immediately shoots an email to the company. "They do not understand that the delay is not on purpose. Sometimes it is the weather, other times it could be an accident or a tyre puncture," Nibesh said. Both lament the humiliating treatment meted out to them by customers. Sometimes, for instance, card machines provided by the companies don't function due to poor network. Some customers are kind enough to go to the ATM and get cash, most simply complain and shout at them. "They are extremely disrespectful to us," said Nibesh. Customers celebrate, receiving and giving gifts, and portals rejoice at turnovers as another Diwali comes around.

Diwali deliveries: those who shoulder the festive burden

<p>The Supreme Court on Friday refused to modify its earlier order banning the sale of firecrackers in Delhi-NCR.</p>

<p>The&nbsp;court dismissed the plea of firecracker traders who had sought relaxation in the October 9 ban order and sought permission to sell crackers for at least a day or two before Diwali on October 19.</p>

<p>The court said it hasn&rsquo;t stopped people from celebrating the festival of lights. &quot;It&rsquo;s just an experiment for one year, we will take stock after that,&quot; Justice A K Sikri,&nbsp;who heard the case today, said.</p>

<p>The judge said its November 11, 2016 order suspending the licences &quot;should be given one chance to test itself&quot; to see if there is a positive effect of this, particularly during Diwali.</p>

<p>Justice Sikri also expressed anguish at people giving his order a communal angle.&nbsp;&quot;I am a very spiritual person but this is something different,&quot; Justice Sikri said.</p>

<p>The court had recently banned the sale of crackers in Delhi-NCR till November 1, dealing a body blow to the traders and businessmen dealing in them.</p>

<p>The court also said that the order passed by it last month, temporarily lifting the stay and allowing the sale of firecrackers, would be made effective only from November 1, 12 days after Diwali.</p>

<p>The Supreme Court passed the order on a petition asking for a ban on the the sale of firecrackers in the National Capital Region over alarming rise in pollution levels after Diwali.</p>

<p>After the order, the administration in Delhi and its nearby areas, which constitute the National Capital Region, has issued directives to the shopkeepers to stop selling firecrackers which make a lot of noise. The business community has raised concerns saying the order will adversely affect the sales in the festival season.</p>

<p>However, the administration has allowed those people who have already purchased firecrackers to burst them on October 19 (Diwali) during a stipulated time. The Gurugram authority has said that the bursting of firecrackers will be allowed between 6pm to 10pm.</p>


The court had recently banned the sale of crackers in Delhi-NCR till November 1, dealing a body blow to the traders and businessmen dealing in them.

The Supreme Court on Friday refused to modify its earlier order banning the sale of firecrackers in Delhi-NCR. The court dismissed the plea of firecracker traders who had sought relaxation in the October 9 ban order and sought permission to sell crackers for at least a day or two before Diwali on October 19. The court said it hasn’t stopped people from celebrating the festival of lights. "It’s just an experiment for one year, we will take stock after that," Justice A K Sikri, who heard the case today, said. The judge said its November 11, 2016 order suspending the licences "should be given one chance to test itself" to see if there is a positive effect of this, particularly during Diwali. Justice Sikri also expressed anguish at people giving his order a communal angle. "I am a very spiritual person but this is something different," Justice Sikri said. The court had recently banned the sale of crackers in Delhi-NCR till November 1, dealing a body blow to the traders and businessmen dealing in them. The court also said that the order passed by it last month, temporarily lifting the stay and allowing the sale of firecrackers, would be made effective only from November 1, 12 days after Diwali. The Supreme Court passed the order on a petition asking for a ban on the the sale of firecrackers in the National Capital Region over alarming rise in pollution levels after Diwali. After the order, the administration in Delhi and its nearby areas, which constitute the National Capital Region, has issued directives to the shopkeepers to stop selling firecrackers which make a lot of noise. The business community has raised concerns saying the order will adversely affect the sales in the festival season. However, the administration has allowed those people who have already purchased firecrackers to burst them on October 19 (Diwali) during a stipulated time. The Gurugram authority has said that the bursting of firecrackers will be allowed between 6pm to 10pm.

Supreme Court refuses to lift ban on firecrackers in Delhi-NCR, says 'it's an experiment for 1 year'

<p>The city administration has allowed those residents who have brought Diwali firecrackers in advance to burn them between 6 pm to 10 pm on October 19.</p>

<p>Gurgaon Deputy Commissioner Vinay Pratap Singh said the relaxation has been given to those who have bought crackers in advance.</p>

<p>&quot;We have framed certain guidelines for those who have already purchased crackers. They can burn them from 6 pm to 10 pm on October 19,&quot; he said.</p>

<p>The administration has also imposed IPC section 144 (unlawful assembly) in the city, and asked the residents to burn the crackers 100 meters away from private and government hospitals, educational institutions, religious places and courts.</p>

<p>&quot;We have imposed a ban on those crackers that make a noise of more than 145 decibels. We have also directed the people not to use firecrackers within the radius of 500 meters from Indane bottling plant situated in Badshahpur and 100 meters away from fuel stations,&quot; Singh said.</p>

<p>The top court had recently banned the sale of crackers in Delhi-NCR till November 1, dealing a body blow to the traders and businessmen dealing in them.<br />
&nbsp;</p>


Gurgaon Deputy Commissioner said the relaxation has been given to those who have bought crackers in advance

The city administration has allowed those residents who have brought Diwali firecrackers in advance to burn them between 6 pm to 10 pm on October 19. Gurgaon Deputy Commissioner Vinay Pratap Singh said the relaxation has been given to those who have bought crackers in advance. "We have framed certain guidelines for those who have already purchased crackers. They can burn them from 6 pm to 10 pm on October 19," he said. The administration has also imposed IPC section 144 (unlawful assembly) in the city, and asked the residents to burn the crackers 100 meters away from private and government hospitals, educational institutions, religious places and courts. "We have imposed a ban on those crackers that make a noise of more than 145 decibels. We have also directed the people not to use firecrackers within the radius of 500 meters from Indane bottling plant situated in Badshahpur and 100 meters away from fuel stations," Singh said. The top court had recently banned the sale of crackers in Delhi-NCR till November 1, dealing a body blow to the traders and businessmen dealing in them.

Gurugram allows residents to burn crackers on Diwali

<p>This was a couple of years back. With my family, I was standing on the banks of river Hudson, eagerly waiting for the 4th July firework to play out in the night sky of New York City. Then it started, a burst of colour one after the another, as well as patterns and designs of all sorts, turning the stratosphere into a palette.</p>

<p>Celebrating the American independence day with firecrackers is a time-old custom in the US. I have witnessed student organisations, individuals, municipal corporations, military, all celebrating from the Pacific coast to New England, from the lake of Michigan to the hills of Tennesse. In all my years of stay in the US, I haven&#39;t come across even a whispering concern at the environmental damage that this annual ritual might cause.</p>

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<p>Contrast this with what I experienced in the Delhi-NCR when I moved to Delhi last year. Immediately after Diwali, a heavy unpenetrable smog hung over schools and playgrounds, houses and hospitals. We could breathe, but with fear. Suffocation didn&#39;t seem to be a far-fetched idea in a gas chamber named Delhi.</p>

<p>Eventually, the huge civic protest against lenient environmental norms during festivals forced the hand of the government. Today, the Supreme Court of India has imposed a ban on the sale of firecrackers in the Delhi-NCR.</p>

<p>After the ban was pronounced, there has emerged over the last few dates an equally voracious argument whether such a verdict stems from a disregard of the cultural belief and practices of Hindus.</p>

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<p>Diwali or Deepavali is the festival of light but over the years, increasingly, it has become the festival of sound. Loud, crackling, incessant sound of firecracker - bursting and emitting smoke at the same time. But one should not only be thinking that it is sound or the smoke itself which is creating all the problems. Rather, it is the chemical compounds used in firecrackers that makes it so dangerous.</p>

<p>One of the biggest problem plaguing Diwali firework in India is the sale of illegal Chinese firecrackers in the local market. All Chinese firecrackers contain potassium chlorate, an ingredient whose use had been banned by the Indian government since 1992. Potassium Chlorate, when mixed with Sulphur, makes an extremely reactive compound, prone to explosion. The ban, however, led to the beginning of an illegal trade in Chinese firecrackers in India. Using of Chlorate, thus, did not stop, putting all the users in a potentially dangerous situation.</p>

<p>Those who argue that we are taking the fun out of Diwali by banning firecrackers may decide to learn from the examples of Europe and the US so that they can have the firework as well as maintain a standard of air quality.</p>

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<p>If we go by Europe&#39;s example, the best practice they follow is to limit the time of use not only to dates but also down by the hours. In Finland, for instance, they can burst firecrackers only on New Year&#39;s Eve and that also between 6 pm to 2 am. The same guideline holds true for Netherlands and Norway. In the UK fireworks can be sold only through specialist stores.</p>

<p>Most of these countries also have an age bar, ranging from 16-18 years, for people to whom fireworks can be sold to.</p>

<p>The US does not have such a blanket approach to firecrackers; the laws governing consumer fireworks vary widely from state to state, or from county to county. The Consumer Product Safety Commission, the body governing the firework-related regulations, defines what fireworks may be considered consumer fireworks. Consumer fireworks in the United States are limited to 500 grams (this was previously 200 grams until recent years) of composition, and firecrackers may have up to 50 milligrams of flash powder.</p>

<p>Moreover, reloadable shells are limited to 1.75&quot; in diameter, and shells in pre-fused tubes are limited to 2&quot;. Any fireworks that exceed these limits are not considered consumer fireworks and need a license from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).</p>

<p>Most states allow different forms of fireworks on 4th July but barring few states, such as Georgia almost all of them prohibits the sale and use of firecrackers without a permit.</p>

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<p>Regulation and accountability to environmental norms rather than a straightforward ban seem to be a more effective response in this case. And Sivakasi, the main center of firecracker manufacture in India, is claiming of already following these norms. The five chemicals-lithium, arsenic, lead antinomy- banned by the Supreme Court of India have never been used, according to the manufacturers of Sivakasi.</p>

<p>The less Diwali celebration becomes a show, more we concentrate on the spirit, and greater our focus becomes on making all celebrations sustainable, we will learn to tread the earth with more care.</p>


Regulation and accountability to environmental norms rather than a straightforward ban seem to be a more effective in India

This was a couple of years back. With my family, I was standing on the banks of river Hudson, eagerly waiting for the 4th July firework to play out in the night sky of New York City. Then it started, a burst of colour one after the another, as well as patterns and designs of all sorts, turning the stratosphere into a palette. Celebrating the American independence day with firecrackers is a time-old custom in the US. I have witnessed student organisations, individuals, municipal corporations, military, all celebrating from the Pacific coast to New England, from the lake of Michigan to the hills of Tennesse. In all my years of stay in the US, I haven't come across even a whispering concern at the environmental damage that this annual ritual might cause. The Supreme Court of India has imposed a ban on the sale of firecrackers in the Delhi-NCR. × Contrast this with what I experienced in the Delhi-NCR when I moved to Delhi last year. Immediately after Diwali, a heavy unpenetrable smog hung over schools and playgrounds, houses and hospitals. We could breathe, but with fear. Suffocation didn't seem to be a far-fetched idea in a gas chamber named Delhi. Eventually, the huge civic protest against lenient environmental norms during festivals forced the hand of the government. Today, the Supreme Court of India has imposed a ban on the sale of firecrackers in the Delhi-NCR. After the ban was pronounced, there has emerged over the last few dates an equally voracious argument whether such a verdict stems from a disregard of the cultural belief and practices of Hindus. One of the biggest problem plaguing Diwali firework in India is the sale of illegal Chinese firecrackers in the local market. × Diwali or Deepavali is the festival of light but over the years, increasingly, it has become the festival of sound. Loud, crackling, incessant sound of firecracker - bursting and emitting smoke at the same time. But one should not only be thinking that it is sound or the smoke itself which is creating all the problems. Rather, it is the chemical compounds used in firecrackers that makes it so dangerous. One of the biggest problem plaguing Diwali firework in India is the sale of illegal Chinese firecrackers in the local market. All Chinese firecrackers contain potassium chlorate, an ingredient whose use had been banned by the Indian government since 1992. Potassium Chlorate, when mixed with Sulphur, makes an extremely reactive compound, prone to explosion. The ban, however, led to the beginning of an illegal trade in Chinese firecrackers in India. Using of Chlorate, thus, did not stop, putting all the users in a potentially dangerous situation. Those who argue that we are taking the fun out of Diwali by banning firecrackers may decide to learn from the examples of Europe and the US so that they can have the firework as well as maintain a standard of air quality. Europe limits the time of firecracker use. The limit is not only to dates but also down by the hours. × If we go by Europe's example, the best practice they follow is to limit the time of use not only to dates but also down by the hours. In Finland, for instance, they can burst firecrackers only on New Year's Eve and that also between 6 pm to 2 am. The same guideline holds true for Netherlands and Norway. In the UK fireworks can be sold only through specialist stores. Most of these countries also have an age bar, ranging from 16-18 years, for people to whom fireworks can be sold to. The US does not have such a blanket approach to firecrackers; the laws governing consumer fireworks vary widely from state to state, or from county to county. The Consumer Product Safety Commission, the body governing the firework-related regulations, defines what fireworks may be considered consumer fireworks. Consumer fireworks in the United States are limited to 500 grams (this was previously 200 grams until recent years) of composition, and firecrackers may have up to 50 milligrams of flash powder. Moreover, reloadable shells are limited to 1.75" in diameter, and shells in pre-fused tubes are limited to 2". Any fireworks that exceed these limits are not considered consumer fireworks and need a license from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Most states allow different forms of fireworks on 4th July but barring few states, such as Georgia almost all of them prohibits the sale and use of firecrackers without a permit. The five chemicals-lithium, arsenic, lead antinomy- banned by the Supreme Court of India. × Regulation and accountability to environmental norms rather than a straightforward ban seem to be a more effective response in this case. And Sivakasi, the main center of firecracker manufacture in India, is claiming of already following these norms. The five chemicals-lithium, arsenic, lead antinomy- banned by the Supreme Court of India have never been used, according to the manufacturers of Sivakasi. The less Diwali celebration becomes a show, more we concentrate on the spirit, and greater our focus becomes on making all celebrations sustainable, we will learn to tread the earth with more care.

Regulation and accountability more effective than ban on firecrackers

<p>The Customs department has been asked to keep a hawk-eyed vigil on the<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/india-explosion-in-illegal-cracker-factory-kills-5-injures-4-in-uttar-pradesh-7954" target="_blank"> illegal import of firecrackers from abroad</a>, particularly from China, officials said.</p>

<p>The Central Board of Excise and Customs&#39; (CBEC) recent order to chiefs of customs zones across the country comes ahead of Diwali on October 19.</p>

<p>The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has been, from time to time, issuing alerts regarding sensitisation of officers and taking suitable measures to ensure prevention of illegal import of fireworks/crackers of foreign origin, the order stated.</p>

<p>&quot;In view of the above, it is requested that the officers under your jurisdiction may be suitably alerted and appropriate measures may be taken to ensure strict compliance with the notification,&quot; it said.</p>

<p>The import of fireworks is restricted and requires an import license from the Directorate General of Foreign Trade.</p>

<p>&quot;Further, till date, no license to import fireworks has been granted for possession and /or sale under the Explosives Rules, 2008, by Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation,&quot; said the order, issued by the anti-smuggling unit of the CBEC on September 27.</p>

<p>It cited a Supreme Court directive last month asking the Centre to ensure strict compliance of a 1992 government notification regarding the ban on the import of fireworks.</p>

<p>The notification was issued by the Department of Industrial Development (now Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion) on January 27, 1992.</p>

<p>On <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/india-supreme-court-bans-firecrackers-in-delhi-for-now-9322" target="_blank">October 9, the apex court</a> <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/experts-welcome-sc-decision-to-ban-firecrackers-21189" target="_blank">banned the sale of firecrackers in Delhi-NCR region till November 1</a>.</p>

<p>There have been attempts from across the border to smuggle cheap and dangerous fireworks, especially of Chinese- origin, into India ahead of Diwali, a DRI official said.</p>

<p>These illegally-imported firecrackers are often camouflaged as toys or imported illegally by concealing them in other goods being brought into the country from abroad, he said.</p>

<p>Foreign remittances in case of import of Chinese fireworks are generally made through hawala channels and such goods are sold illegally in India, the official claimed.</p>

<p>Chinese-origin fireworks are known to contain sulphur and other hazardous substances, impacting on the environment and on the general health of the public, he said.</p>

<p>The DRI, the lead agency to check smuggling and customs duty frauds, had in January this year seized China-made fireworks worth Rs 10 crore.</p>

<p>They were imported illegally by a Punjab-based importer, the DRI official said.</p>

<p>During an examination of containers carrying goods at the Inland Container Depot (ICD), Tughlakabad, DRI officials found fireworks hidden behind cartons of bicycle pumps and plastic packing material to avoid detection.</p>


There have been attempts from across the border to smuggle cheap and dangerous fireworks, especially of Chinese- origin, into India ahead of Diwali, a DRI official said

The Customs department has been asked to keep a hawk-eyed vigil on the illegal import of firecrackers from abroad, particularly from China, officials said. The Central Board of Excise and Customs' (CBEC) recent order to chiefs of customs zones across the country comes ahead of Diwali on October 19. The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has been, from time to time, issuing alerts regarding sensitisation of officers and taking suitable measures to ensure prevention of illegal import of fireworks/crackers of foreign origin, the order stated. "In view of the above, it is requested that the officers under your jurisdiction may be suitably alerted and appropriate measures may be taken to ensure strict compliance with the notification," it said. The import of fireworks is restricted and requires an import license from the Directorate General of Foreign Trade. "Further, till date, no license to import fireworks has been granted for possession and /or sale under the Explosives Rules, 2008, by Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation," said the order, issued by the anti-smuggling unit of the CBEC on September 27. It cited a Supreme Court directive last month asking the Centre to ensure strict compliance of a 1992 government notification regarding the ban on the import of fireworks. The notification was issued by the Department of Industrial Development (now Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion) on January 27, 1992. On October 9, the apex court banned the sale of firecrackers in Delhi-NCR region till November 1. There have been attempts from across the border to smuggle cheap and dangerous fireworks, especially of Chinese- origin, into India ahead of Diwali, a DRI official said. These illegally-imported firecrackers are often camouflaged as toys or imported illegally by concealing them in other goods being brought into the country from abroad, he said. Foreign remittances in case of import of Chinese fireworks are generally made through hawala channels and such goods are sold illegally in India, the official claimed. Chinese-origin fireworks are known to contain sulphur and other hazardous substances, impacting on the environment and on the general health of the public, he said. The DRI, the lead agency to check smuggling and customs duty frauds, had in January this year seized China-made fireworks worth Rs 10 crore. They were imported illegally by a Punjab-based importer, the DRI official said. During an examination of containers carrying goods at the Inland Container Depot (ICD), Tughlakabad, DRI officials found fireworks hidden behind cartons of bicycle pumps and plastic packing material to avoid detection.

Diwali: Government sounds 'alert' on illegal import of crackers

<p>The sale of Chinese goods like lights, gift items, lamps and wall hangings may decline by 40-45 per cent this Diwali as compared to last year as Indians are likely to prefer domestic products like earthen diyas (lamps), according to a report.</p>

<p>Chinese products had recorded a 30 per cent decline in sales last year on Diwali, the festival of lights.</p>

<p>A survey by Assocham-Social Development Foundation mapped responses of wholesalers, retailers, traders in cities of Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Bhopal, Chennai, Dehradun, Delhi, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Lucknow and Mumbai to estimate the demand for Chinese products across India.</p>

<p>&quot;There seems to be a decline of about 40-45 per cent in consumption of Chinese products on this Diwali in comparison to last year. Chinese items that are most sought fancy lights, lampshades, Ganesha and Laxmi idols, rangolis and crackers etc. As per the findings, this Diwali, people are preferring Indian products over Chinese goods,&quot; Assocham said.</p>

<p>According to the survey, the demand of electronic items like LCDs, mobile phones and other items made in China has also declined by 15-20 per cent.</p>

<p>Shopkeepers who took part in the survey said most of the customers are demanding Indian lights or earthen diyas.</p>

<p>According to an estimate, the value of Chinese goods sold in 2016 during Diwali was around Rs 6,500 crore, out of which Rs 4,000 crore was for products such as toys, fancy lights, gift items, plastic ware, decorative goods etc.&nbsp;</p>


Chinese products had recorded a 30 per cent decline in sales last year on Diwali

The sale of Chinese goods like lights, gift items, lamps and wall hangings may decline by 40-45 per cent this Diwali as compared to last year as Indians are likely to prefer domestic products like earthen diyas (lamps), according to a report. Chinese products had recorded a 30 per cent decline in sales last year on Diwali, the festival of lights. A survey by Assocham-Social Development Foundation mapped responses of wholesalers, retailers, traders in cities of Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Bhopal, Chennai, Dehradun, Delhi, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Lucknow and Mumbai to estimate the demand for Chinese products across India. "There seems to be a decline of about 40-45 per cent in consumption of Chinese products on this Diwali in comparison to last year. Chinese items that are most sought fancy lights, lampshades, Ganesha and Laxmi idols, rangolis and crackers etc. As per the findings, this Diwali, people are preferring Indian products over Chinese goods," Assocham said. According to the survey, the demand of electronic items like LCDs, mobile phones and other items made in China has also declined by 15-20 per cent. Shopkeepers who took part in the survey said most of the customers are demanding Indian lights or earthen diyas. According to an estimate, the value of Chinese goods sold in 2016 during Diwali was around Rs 6,500 crore, out of which Rs 4,000 crore was for products such as toys, fancy lights, gift items, plastic ware, decorative goods etc.

Diwali 2017: Chinese goods' sale may drop by 45%, says Assocham survey

<p>Gold sales are likely to revive during the Diwali festival with the government revoking an order that mandated PAN and Aadhaar cards for purchases above Rs 50,000, an industry body said.</p>

<p><br />
Higher sales are expected on Dhanteras to be celebrated on October 17. Dhanteras is considered to be an auspicious day for buying gold, silver and other valuables and is largely celebrated in North and West India.</p>

<p><br />
Gold prices were ruling firm at Rs 30,555 per 10 grams and silver at Rs 40,600 per kg in the national capital as of Saturday.</p>

<p><br />
&quot;This is a big relief and there could not have been a better Diwali gift than this for both jewellers and consumers,&quot; All India Gems and Jewellery Federation Chairman Nitin Kandelwal said.</p>

<p>&quot;We are expecting sales to revive after a lull in preceding months. We will be more than happy if sales remain normal during Diwali,&quot; he said.</p>

<p><br />
More than jewellers, consumers were affected with the notification as they were not comfortable showing PAN and Aadhaar documents. &quot;The rollback of this order will definitely improve ease of doing business,&quot; he said.</p>

<p>However, there is a need to create more awareness about the development among consumers, he added.</p>

<p>Echoing views, Kerala-based Kalyan Jewellers Director Rajesh Kalyanraman said it&#39;s a &quot;positive&quot; move and should help improve sales in the coming days.</p>

<p>&quot;Sales were down in last two months...We are hoping Diwali sales to be positive. We are expecting a 15 per cent growth from over year-ago period,&quot; he said.</p>

<p>During last Dhanteras, gold and jewellery sales had risen by up to 25 per cent on higher demand in view of good monsoon and favourable price levels, as per the industry body data.</p>

<p>Mobile wallet company Paytm Vice President Nitin Misra said: &quot;We have consistently held Paytm Gold buyers to the highest standards by ensuring 100 per cent digital transactions and fulfilling all PMLA requirements&quot;.</p>

<p>The company will continue to ensure best-in-class practices for customer KYC and provide a reliable and convenient platform for gold buying this festive season regardless of budget, he said in a statement.</p>

<p>In a notification issued on August 23, the government had brought jewellery dealers under the purview of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act 2002 (PMLA) and were told to report on buyers making purchases over Rs 50,000. Therefore, PAN and Aadhaar cards were made mandatory as part of &#39;Know your customer (KYC)&#39; rule.</p>

<p>A decision to revoke the said notification was taken in the GST Council meeting held last week.</p>

<p>India is the world&#39;s largest gold consumer and imports a sizeable chunk of its total annual consumption of around 900-1,000 tonnes.</p>


Higher sales are expected on Dhanteras to be celebrated on October 17.

Gold sales are likely to revive during the Diwali festival with the government revoking an order that mandated PAN and Aadhaar cards for purchases above Rs 50,000, an industry body said. Higher sales are expected on Dhanteras to be celebrated on October 17. Dhanteras is considered to be an auspicious day for buying gold, silver and other valuables and is largely celebrated in North and West India. Gold prices were ruling firm at Rs 30,555 per 10 grams and silver at Rs 40,600 per kg in the national capital as of Saturday. "This is a big relief and there could not have been a better Diwali gift than this for both jewellers and consumers," All India Gems and Jewellery Federation Chairman Nitin Kandelwal said. "We are expecting sales to revive after a lull in preceding months. We will be more than happy if sales remain normal during Diwali," he said. More than jewellers, consumers were affected with the notification as they were not comfortable showing PAN and Aadhaar documents. "The rollback of this order will definitely improve ease of doing business," he said. However, there is a need to create more awareness about the development among consumers, he added. Echoing views, Kerala-based Kalyan Jewellers Director Rajesh Kalyanraman said it's a "positive" move and should help improve sales in the coming days. "Sales were down in last two months...We are hoping Diwali sales to be positive. We are expecting a 15 per cent growth from over year-ago period," he said. During last Dhanteras, gold and jewellery sales had risen by up to 25 per cent on higher demand in view of good monsoon and favourable price levels, as per the industry body data. Mobile wallet company Paytm Vice President Nitin Misra said: "We have consistently held Paytm Gold buyers to the highest standards by ensuring 100 per cent digital transactions and fulfilling all PMLA requirements". The company will continue to ensure best-in-class practices for customer KYC and provide a reliable and convenient platform for gold buying this festive season regardless of budget, he said in a statement. In a notification issued on August 23, the government had brought jewellery dealers under the purview of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act 2002 (PMLA) and were told to report on buyers making purchases over Rs 50,000. Therefore, PAN and Aadhaar cards were made mandatory as part of 'Know your customer (KYC)' rule. A decision to revoke the said notification was taken in the GST Council meeting held last week. India is the world's largest gold consumer and imports a sizeable chunk of its total annual consumption of around 900-1,000 tonnes.

Gold sales likely to revive during Diwali as KYC norms eased

<p>Maharashtra environment minister Ramdas Kadam has said <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/supreme-court-bans-sale-of-firecrackers-in-delhi-ncr-this-diwali-21145">he supports </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/supreme-court-bans-sale-of-firecrackers-in-delhi-ncr-this-diwali-21145">ban</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/supreme-court-bans-sale-of-firecrackers-in-delhi-ncr-this-diwali-21145"> on crackers in Maharashtra</a> in line with the Supreme Court order.</p>

<p>On Monday, India&#39;s Supreme Court had banned the sale of firecrackers in Delhi and adjoining areas which included Noida, Gurugram and Ghaziabad till November 1.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Experts welcomed the top court&#39;s order, cautioning that while firecrackers cause episodic spikes in levels of air pollutants, what is needed is a sustained focus on tackling the menace.</p>

<p>&quot;I will talk to Fadnavis and request if we can also ban crackers in Maharashtra on lines of the Supreme Court order for Delhi,&quot; ANI quoted Kadam as saying.</p>

<p>The apex court had last month temporarily lifted its earlier order suspending licences for sale of firecrackers, saying a complete ban would be an &quot;extreme step&quot; and a graded approach was needed to curb pollution caused by them.</p>

<p>The court, however, had said its order lifting the ban on sale of firecrackers might require a &quot;review&quot; after Diwali depending on the ambient air quality after the festival.&nbsp;</p>


On Monday, India's Supreme Court had banned the sale of firecrackers in Delhi and adjoining areas

Maharashtra environment minister Ramdas Kadam has said he supports ban on crackers in Maharashtra in line with the Supreme Court order. On Monday, India's Supreme Court had banned the sale of firecrackers in Delhi and adjoining areas which included Noida, Gurugram and Ghaziabad till November 1. Experts welcomed the top court's order, cautioning that while firecrackers cause episodic spikes in levels of air pollutants, what is needed is a sustained focus on tackling the menace. "I will talk to Fadnavis and request if we can also ban crackers in Maharashtra on lines of the Supreme Court order for Delhi," ANI quoted Kadam as saying. The apex court had last month temporarily lifted its earlier order suspending licences for sale of firecrackers, saying a complete ban would be an "extreme step" and a graded approach was needed to curb pollution caused by them. The court, however, had said its order lifting the ban on sale of firecrackers might require a "review" after Diwali depending on the ambient air quality after the festival.

Will request CM Fadnavis to ban firecrackers: Maharashtra environment minister Ramdas Kadam

<p>I will celebrate Diwali as I always did. With my family at my mother&rsquo;s house where boys will get the tiring job of lighting all the diyas and women will set the puja room. The only thing which would not be there this time would be firecrackers. I will not miss them not because I hate them but because I will get up next morning with better air.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>We live in a gas chamber, and we must fight for clean air for our children. They deserve it. it is a right they have but cannot understand it in its absence.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>The first criticism of the decision would be on the basis of faith. Many would argue that all reforms are taking place within Hinduism, and the decision does not respect the sensibility of the community.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Diwali is a festival of light and it is celebrated because maryadapurushottam Ram came back to Ayodhya. The message is to light up both inner and the outer world. It symbolises the victory of right over wrong. Today the right thing to do is to understand the urgency of our surrounding which even Prime Minister Narendra Modi has spoken in the context of Swachh Bharat. Our festivals can be made ecologically friendly. Both Holi and Diwali can be celebrated without damaging the environment. India must learn to celebrate festivals like Diwali in spirit apart from the form.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;India needs to stand guard against the lobby which brings faith into the matter of environment. Even the issue of abattoirs being banned in Uttar Pradesh was contested by many parties on the basis of religion. Many Left of the centre parties cried discrimination but the fact was that the state government implemented the guidelines approved by the court.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>In India politicians always take populist positions, leaving the hard decision making to the Supreme Court.&nbsp; It for this reason that India has failed to tackle either vehicular pollution or big industry pollution.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;The worst part of the discourse is that issues related to the environment, gender or even animal right get entangled with religion and regional pride. The political vacuum and failure of politicians then created a chasm in Tamil Nadu which was filled by anti-Jallikattu protests. There was an absence of a nuanced debate on the issue of survival of native bulls. The issue boiled down to Tamil Pride. Similarly, gender issues like Shani Shignapur, Sabrimalay and Triple Talaq got intertwined with religion.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;We must spare a thought on the Supreme Court&rsquo;s verdict on Diwali. By restricting the sales, it is trying to reduce the noise and air pollution which NCR has to go through. It will be a great dis-service if India continues to bow down to popular pressure in the name of religious practice. Religion and traditional religious practices are two different things. Even in the context of triple talaq, Supreme Court argues whether it is essential to the practice of Islam and then ruled on the subject. I don&rsquo;t think burning firecrackers is an essential part of the practice of Hinduism during Diwali.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;Festivals celebrated by all communities must be a source of light rather leaving a heavy footprint on the environment. Let&rsquo;s not politicise clean air. Air doesn&rsquo;t discriminate and all us must contribute in this process so that future generations inherit a better and cleaner environment.</p>

<p>Lastly, only the sale has been restricted in the NCR and not bursting of firecrackers. Neither it is a nation-wide ban. The judgement should pave the way for stricter environmental norms when it comes to festivals because bans don&#39;t work in the long run; consensus does.&nbsp;</p>


India needs to stand guard against the lobby which brings faith into the matter of environment.

I will celebrate Diwali as I always did. With my family at my mother’s house where boys will get the tiring job of lighting all the diyas and women will set the puja room. The only thing which would not be there this time would be firecrackers. I will not miss them not because I hate them but because I will get up next morning with better air. We live in a gas chamber, and we must fight for clean air for our children. They deserve it. it is a right they have but cannot understand it in its absence. The first criticism of the decision would be on the basis of faith. Many would argue that all reforms are taking place within Hinduism, and the decision does not respect the sensibility of the community. Diwali is a festival of light and it is celebrated because maryadapurushottam Ram came back to Ayodhya. The message is to light up both inner and the outer world. It symbolises the victory of right over wrong. Today the right thing to do is to understand the urgency of our surrounding which even Prime Minister Narendra Modi has spoken in the context of Swachh Bharat. Our festivals can be made ecologically friendly. Both Holi and Diwali can be celebrated without damaging the environment. India must learn to celebrate festivals like Diwali in spirit apart from the form. India needs to stand guard against the lobby which brings faith into the matter of environment. Even the issue of abattoirs being banned in Uttar Pradesh was contested by many parties on the basis of religion. Many Left of the centre parties cried discrimination but the fact was that the state government implemented the guidelines approved by the court. In India politicians always take populist positions, leaving the hard decision making to the Supreme Court. It for this reason that India has failed to tackle either vehicular pollution or big industry pollution. The worst part of the discourse is that issues related to the environment, gender or even animal right get entangled with religion and regional pride. The political vacuum and failure of politicians then created a chasm in Tamil Nadu which was filled by anti-Jallikattu protests. There was an absence of a nuanced debate on the issue of survival of native bulls. The issue boiled down to Tamil Pride. Similarly, gender issues like Shani Shignapur, Sabrimalay and Triple Talaq got intertwined with religion. We must spare a thought on the Supreme Court’s verdict on Diwali. By restricting the sales, it is trying to reduce the noise and air pollution which NCR has to go through. It will be a great dis-service if India continues to bow down to popular pressure in the name of religious practice. Religion and traditional religious practices are two different things. Even in the context of triple talaq, Supreme Court argues whether it is essential to the practice of Islam and then ruled on the subject. I don’t think burning firecrackers is an essential part of the practice of Hinduism during Diwali. Festivals celebrated by all communities must be a source of light rather leaving a heavy footprint on the environment. Let’s not politicise clean air. Air doesn’t discriminate and all us must contribute in this process so that future generations inherit a better and cleaner environment. Lastly, only the sale has been restricted in the NCR and not bursting of firecrackers. Neither it is a nation-wide ban. The judgement should pave the way for stricter environmental norms when it comes to festivals because bans don't work in the long run; consensus does.

Why I welcome green Diwali

<p>Diwali fireworks had lit up the skyline of Delhi on the night of October 30 last year, but darkness had descended the morning after as a dense blanket of smog turned the city into a chamber of noxious and cancer-causing pollutants.</p>

<p>With the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/supreme-court-bans-sale-of-firecrackers-in-delhi-ncr-this-diwali-21145" target="_blank">Supreme Court banning the sale of firecrackers in the Delhi-NCR till November 1</a>, can Delhiites breathe a sigh of relief?</p>

<p>Experts, welcoming the apex court&#39;s order, caution that while firecrackers cause episodic spikes in levels of air pollutants, what is needed is a sustained focus on tackling the menace.</p>

<p>&quot;It is a welcome move. The air of Delhi is any way saturated with pollutants at this time of the season as paddy stubble burning starts and temperature drops. Diwali fireworks only compound the problem,&quot; Bhure Lal, chairman, Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority (EPCA) said.</p>

<p>Going by the prevailing conditions, wherein the air quality is already &#39;very poor&#39; in many parts of the city, the situation may spiral out of control if firecrackers are set off indiscriminately during Diwali, according to SAFAR.</p>

<p>However, the 24-hour-average AQI (air quality index) is &#39;poor&#39;, a shade better than &#39;very poor&#39;, it said.</p>

<p>A &quot;very poor&quot; AQI essentially means that people may suffer from respiratory illness on prolonged exposure to such air. On further dip in air quality, the AQI will turn &quot;severe&quot;.</p>

<p>&quot;The ban would ensure that the levels of air pollutants do not reach as high a limit as they did last year around Diwali. With meteorological conditions not being favourable for dispersing dust and particulate matter in a short interval, the regulation is a step in the right direction,&quot; Ajay Mathur, director general of TERI, said.</p>

<p>According to a report on the composition of firecrackers prepared by Pune-based Chest Research Foundation, they emit extremely high levels of PM 2.5 over a short period of time with the &#39;snake tablet&#39; variety producing a peak level of 64,850 ug/m3 (micrograms per cubic metre).</p>

<p>The 24-hour prescribed average of PM 2.5, which are ultra fine pollutants measuring 30 times thinner than a human hair, is 60.</p>

<p>Greenpeace India also welcomed the SC decision, saying the verdict might provide some relief from the episodic air pollution spikes in the city in October during Diwali.</p>

<p>&quot;However, the pollution levels in north India are multiple times higher than the national standards throughout the winter months, hence we also need to look at a stricter, comprehensive and time-bound action plan to address all sources of air pollution across the country,&quot; it said in a statement.</p>

<p>A report prepared by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) on the health hazards of chemicals and metals present in firecrackers lists toxic dust and carcinogenic (cancer-causing) compounds.</p>

<p>According to the report, many gaseous pollutants emitted due to the bursting of firecrackers remain airborne for days, posing danger to children and unborn babies.</p>

<p>A study by a team of scientists of IIT Kanpur has pointed out that during Diwali, PM levels nearly double from the average level and the organic content of PM increases more than twice.</p>

<p>&quot;It is noteworthy that levels of potassium and barium, main components of firecrackers, can increase by about ten times,&quot; it says.</p>


The ban would ensure that the levels of air pollutants do not reach as high a limit as they did last year around Diwali, Ajay Mathur, director general of TERI

Diwali fireworks had lit up the skyline of Delhi on the night of October 30 last year, but darkness had descended the morning after as a dense blanket of smog turned the city into a chamber of noxious and cancer-causing pollutants. With the Supreme Court banning the sale of firecrackers in the Delhi-NCR till November 1, can Delhiites breathe a sigh of relief? Experts, welcoming the apex court's order, caution that while firecrackers cause episodic spikes in levels of air pollutants, what is needed is a sustained focus on tackling the menace. "It is a welcome move. The air of Delhi is any way saturated with pollutants at this time of the season as paddy stubble burning starts and temperature drops. Diwali fireworks only compound the problem," Bhure Lal, chairman, Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority (EPCA) said. Going by the prevailing conditions, wherein the air quality is already 'very poor' in many parts of the city, the situation may spiral out of control if firecrackers are set off indiscriminately during Diwali, according to SAFAR. However, the 24-hour-average AQI (air quality index) is 'poor', a shade better than 'very poor', it said. A "very poor" AQI essentially means that people may suffer from respiratory illness on prolonged exposure to such air. On further dip in air quality, the AQI will turn "severe". "The ban would ensure that the levels of air pollutants do not reach as high a limit as they did last year around Diwali. With meteorological conditions not being favourable for dispersing dust and particulate matter in a short interval, the regulation is a step in the right direction," Ajay Mathur, director general of TERI, said. According to a report on the composition of firecrackers prepared by Pune-based Chest Research Foundation, they emit extremely high levels of PM 2.5 over a short period of time with the 'snake tablet' variety producing a peak level of 64,850 ug/m3 (micrograms per cubic metre). The 24-hour prescribed average of PM 2.5, which are ultra fine pollutants measuring 30 times thinner than a human hair, is 60. Greenpeace India also welcomed the SC decision, saying the verdict might provide some relief from the episodic air pollution spikes in the city in October during Diwali. "However, the pollution levels in north India are multiple times higher than the national standards throughout the winter months, hence we also need to look at a stricter, comprehensive and time-bound action plan to address all sources of air pollution across the country," it said in a statement. A report prepared by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) on the health hazards of chemicals and metals present in firecrackers lists toxic dust and carcinogenic (cancer-causing) compounds. According to the report, many gaseous pollutants emitted due to the bursting of firecrackers remain airborne for days, posing danger to children and unborn babies. A study by a team of scientists of IIT Kanpur has pointed out that during Diwali, PM levels nearly double from the average level and the organic content of PM increases more than twice. "It is noteworthy that levels of potassium and barium, main components of firecrackers, can increase by about ten times," it says.

Experts welcome SC decision to ban firecrackers

<p>After getting <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/chetan-bhagat-tweets-did-you-saw-the-taj-get-grammar-lessons-trolls-twitter-21096" target="_blank">trolled on Twitter for a grammatical mistake</a>, popular fiction writer Chetan Bhagat is again being panned for his latest comments on the Indian Supreme Court&#39;s decision to ban fire-crackers and given a rather communal slant to the matter.</p>

<p>In a series of tweets, Bhagat has said, &quot;Why only guts to do this for Hindu festivals? Banning goat sacrifice and Muharram bloodsheds soon too?&quot;</p>

<p>Bhagat claimed the apex court has guts to just&nbsp;ban Hindu festivals. He further asked the court if it planned to also ban animal sacrifice on Muharram -- observed by the Muslim community.&nbsp;</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Can I just ask on cracker ban. Why only guts to do this for Hindu festivals? Banning goat sacrifice and Muharram bloodshed soon too?</p>
&mdash; Chetan Bhagat (@chetan_bhagat) <a href="https://twitter.com/chetan_bhagat/status/917270373049163777?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 9, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>The alumnus from the reputed Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi and Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Ahmedabad has denounced the ban asking &quot;what&#39;s Diwali for children without crackers&quot;. Delhi schools have long run a campaign against the&nbsp;indiscriminate burning of fire-crackers on Diwali that pollute the national capital&#39;s air for several months.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">SC bans fireworks on Diwali? A full ban? What&rsquo;s Diwali for children without crackers?</p>
&mdash; Chetan Bhagat (@chetan_bhagat) <a href="https://twitter.com/chetan_bhagat/status/917270195437047808?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 9, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>Bhagat also felt that banning fire-crackers on Diwali was like &quot;banning Christmas trees on Christmas and goats on Bakr-Eid&quot;.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>He also said that the court should regulate the use of crackers instead of banning it. And he had a piece of advice for the Supreme Court -- &quot;Respect traditions&quot;.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Your examples of practices integral to those observances; banning them would be like banning lamps onDiwali. Firecrackers are unholy add-ons</p>
&mdash; Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) <a href="https://twitter.com/ShashiTharoor/status/917362754339721216?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 9, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">This Diwali here is a better way for folks to burn up their money than buy a <a href="https://twitter.com/chetan_bhagat?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@chetan_bhagat</a> book... but only if u r outside Delhi NCR! <a href="https://t.co/O0awFqQh6c">pic.twitter.com/O0awFqQh6c</a></p>
&mdash; Shehzad Poonawalla (@Shehzad_Ind) <a href="https://twitter.com/Shehzad_Ind/status/917290992251813888?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 9, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Yes coz when Shri Ram returned to Ayodhya you (&amp; those who read your books) were bursting Chinese made crackers to celebrate the homecoming? <a href="https://t.co/wQ7zPKey8P">https://t.co/wQ7zPKey8P</a></p>
&mdash; Shehzad Poonawalla (@Shehzad_Ind) <a href="https://twitter.com/Shehzad_Ind/status/917283410212556800?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 9, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">False equivalence. Bursting crackers has nothing to do with the Diwali tradition.The very word &#39;Diwali&#39; means &#39;light&#39;. Lighting diyas=Diwali <a href="https://t.co/Lmsu45fAXV">https://t.co/Lmsu45fAXV</a></p>
&mdash; Prerna Bakshi (@bprerna) <a href="https://twitter.com/bprerna/status/917277198544801793?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 9, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>Others reminded him of the high incidence of respiratory diseases among Delhi&#39;s young where many children are born with asthma caused by the pollutants in the air.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Hi Chetan would you rather have your children suffer respiratory disorders instead? Don&#39;t force your idiotic fantasies reg Diwali to kids.</p>
&mdash; Priyanka (@autumnrainwish) <a href="https://twitter.com/autumnrainwish/status/917272332032282624?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 9, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">don&#39;t give a communal angle pls..it&#39;s abt environment bro</p>
&mdash; shivam (@Shiv_am12) <a href="https://twitter.com/Shiv_am12/status/917271331116163077?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 9, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>However, Bhagat saw these reactions as a personal attack on him.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Many people who describe themselves as open minded, liberal and tolerant are ganging up like a mob and abusing the hell out of me today</p>
&mdash; Chetan Bhagat (@chetan_bhagat) <a href="https://twitter.com/chetan_bhagat/status/917369341615599616?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 9, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>


Chetan Bhagat has criticised the Indian Supreme Court's order to ban crackers in Delhi this Diwali

After getting trolled on Twitter for a grammatical mistake, popular fiction writer Chetan Bhagat is again being panned for his latest comments on the Indian Supreme Court's decision to ban fire-crackers and given a rather communal slant to the matter. In a series of tweets, Bhagat has said, "Why only guts to do this for Hindu festivals? Banning goat sacrifice and Muharram bloodsheds soon too?" Bhagat claimed the apex court has guts to just ban Hindu festivals. He further asked the court if it planned to also ban animal sacrifice on Muharram -- observed by the Muslim community. Can I just ask on cracker ban. Why only guts to do this for Hindu festivals? Banning goat sacrifice and Muharram bloodshed soon too? — Chetan Bhagat (@chetan_bhagat) October 9, 2017 × The alumnus from the reputed Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi and Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Ahmedabad has denounced the ban asking "what's Diwali for children without crackers". Delhi schools have long run a campaign against the indiscriminate burning of fire-crackers on Diwali that pollute the national capital's air for several months. SC bans fireworks on Diwali? A full ban? What’s Diwali for children without crackers? — Chetan Bhagat (@chetan_bhagat) October 9, 2017 × Bhagat also felt that banning fire-crackers on Diwali was like "banning Christmas trees on Christmas and goats on Bakr-Eid". He also said that the court should regulate the use of crackers instead of banning it. And he had a piece of advice for the Supreme Court -- "Respect traditions". Your examples of practices integral to those observances; banning them would be like banning lamps onDiwali. Firecrackers are unholy add-ons — Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) October 9, 2017 × This Diwali here is a better way for folks to burn up their money than buy a @chetan_bhagat book... but only if u r outside Delhi NCR! pic.twitter.com/O0awFqQh6c — Shehzad Poonawalla (@Shehzad_Ind) October 9, 2017 × Yes coz when Shri Ram returned to Ayodhya you (& those who read your books) were bursting Chinese made crackers to celebrate the homecoming? https://t.co/wQ7zPKey8P — Shehzad Poonawalla (@Shehzad_Ind) October 9, 2017 × False equivalence. Bursting crackers has nothing to do with the Diwali tradition.The very word 'Diwali' means 'light'. Lighting diyas=Diwali https://t.co/Lmsu45fAXV — Prerna Bakshi (@bprerna) October 9, 2017 × Others reminded him of the high incidence of respiratory diseases among Delhi's young where many children are born with asthma caused by the pollutants in the air. Hi Chetan would you rather have your children suffer respiratory disorders instead? Don't force your idiotic fantasies reg Diwali to kids. — Priyanka (@autumnrainwish) October 9, 2017 × don't give a communal angle pls..it's abt environment bro — shivam (@Shiv_am12) October 9, 2017 × However, Bhagat saw these reactions as a personal attack on him. Many people who describe themselves as open minded, liberal and tolerant are ganging up like a mob and abusing the hell out of me today — Chetan Bhagat (@chetan_bhagat) October 9, 2017 ×

Chetan Bhagat thinks Delhi kids need crackers, Twitter thinks clean air would be better

<p>As smoke caused by Diwali fireworks blanketed the Indian capital, the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR) said the city&#39;s air quality has plunged to &#39;severe&#39; category.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The monitoring stations recorded the level of respirable pollutants, PM 2.5 and PM 10, at 283 and 517 micrograms per cubic metre respectively around 8 PM on Sunday, which violated the safe limits by multiple times.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The prescribed standards of PM 2.5 and PM 10 are 60 and 100 respectively, but the recent pollution levels carry the risk of harming people&#39;s respiratory system as the ultra fine particulates can embed deep into the lungs and also enter the bloodstream.</p>

<p>Samples from the monitoring stations at Pusa Road, Mathura Road, Dhirpur, Delhi University, Pitampura as well as neighbouring Noida had air quality in the &#39;severe&#39; zone.</p>

<p>Delhi pollution control committee&#39;s (DPCC) real-time readings were also indicative of the increasing levels of pollution with the rise in the numbers of crackers going off.</p>

<p>Pollution peaks in the national capital during Diwali as a hazardous mix of noxious gases and respirable pollutants hang very close to the surface due to low temperature and near-stagnant wind movement.</p>

<p>(WION with inputs from PTI)<br />
&nbsp;</p>


Alarmingly high levels of hazardous gases & pollutants were recorded in Delhi as smoke from the Diwali fireworks covered the city

As smoke caused by Diwali fireworks blanketed the Indian capital, the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR) said the city's air quality has plunged to 'severe' category. The monitoring stations recorded the level of respirable pollutants, PM 2.5 and PM 10, at 283 and 517 micrograms per cubic metre respectively around 8 PM on Sunday, which violated the safe limits by multiple times. The prescribed standards of PM 2.5 and PM 10 are 60 and 100 respectively, but the recent pollution levels carry the risk of harming people's respiratory system as the ultra fine particulates can embed deep into the lungs and also enter the bloodstream. Samples from the monitoring stations at Pusa Road, Mathura Road, Dhirpur, Delhi University, Pitampura as well as neighbouring Noida had air quality in the 'severe' zone. Delhi pollution control committee's (DPCC) real-time readings were also indicative of the increasing levels of pollution with the rise in the numbers of crackers going off. Pollution peaks in the national capital during Diwali as a hazardous mix of noxious gases and respirable pollutants hang very close to the surface due to low temperature and near-stagnant wind movement. (WION with inputs from PTI)

Smog engulfs Indian capital, air quality plunges to 'severe' category

<p>Addressing the nation on the occasion of the Hindu festival of Diwali in his monthly programme &quot;Mann ki Baat&quot; on All India Radio on Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated the festival to the Indian Army, praising them for their tireless committment and sacrifice for the nation.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">From last few months our jawans are sacrificing their lives, we should celebrate this Diwali in their name: PM Narendra Modi <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MannKiBaat?src=hash">#MannKiBaat</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI_news) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI_news/status/792602418382983172">30 October 2016</a></blockquote>
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<p>He recognised the works of all the Armed Forces, and thanked the nation for sending them Diwali messages.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Prime Minister said the #Sandesh2Soldiers hashtag was flooded with well wishes &amp; love for the soldiers.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Be it BSF, CRPF etc, our jawans are on duty and guarding us; that is why we are celebrating Diwali joyfully: PM Modi</p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI_news) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI_news/status/792603108811509760">30 October 2016</a></blockquote>
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<p>This is the 25th edition of the programme. Prime Minister Modi had requested people to share their thoughts and inputs for the forthcoming programme on the Narendra Modi App and MyGov Open Forum.</p>

<p>During the last edition of the programme, the Prime Minister had said that the nation&#39;s armed forces were fully equipped to foil any nefarious designs. He also spoke about how the Army does not talk, but speak through their valour.</p>

<p>(WION)<br />
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In his monthly address 'Mann ki Baat', PM Modi praised the Indian Army for safeguarding the borders

Addressing the nation on the occasion of the Hindu festival of Diwali in his monthly programme "Mann ki Baat" on All India Radio on Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated the festival to the Indian Army, praising them for their tireless committment and sacrifice for the nation. From last few months our jawans are sacrificing their lives, we should celebrate this Diwali in their name: PM Narendra Modi #MannKiBaat — ANI (@ANI_news) 30 October 2016 × He recognised the works of all the Armed Forces, and thanked the nation for sending them Diwali messages. The Prime Minister said the #Sandesh2Soldiers hashtag was flooded with well wishes & love for the soldiers. Be it BSF, CRPF etc, our jawans are on duty and guarding us; that is why we are celebrating Diwali joyfully: PM Modi — ANI (@ANI_news) 30 October 2016 × This is the 25th edition of the programme. Prime Minister Modi had requested people to share their thoughts and inputs for the forthcoming programme on the Narendra Modi App and MyGov Open Forum. During the last edition of the programme, the Prime Minister had said that the nation's armed forces were fully equipped to foil any nefarious designs. He also spoke about how the Army does not talk, but speak through their valour. (WION)

Indian PM dedicates Diwali to soldiers, lauds their sacrifices in monthly radio address

<p>Temporary hiring may see a jump of 20 to 25 per cent this festive season in India as compared to last year, say experts.</p>

<p>The festive season - from Ganesh puja around August to New Year - requires additional staff to handle the rise in demand, especially for e-commerce companies, logistics, FMCG, hospitality, retail, supply chain and transport.</p>

<p>Companies report almost 40-50 per cent of their total business during the festive period and hire temporary resources, including interns and young college-goers, states a PTI report.</p>

<p>&quot;This temporary hiring not only avoids the long-term cost for start-ups, but helps them in experimenting fresh resources in different functional areas. And they observes resources for permanent and long term roles,&quot; said Sunil Goel, MD, executive search firm GlobalHunt, adding that temp hiring will go up by a minimum 20-25 per cent as against last year.</p>

<p>PTI also Sen as saying that the Future group is looking to hire nearly 1,000 additional workers for the festive rush.</p>

<p>&quot;They hire from staffing firms like TeamLease Services, students from tier 2 and 3 cities who are later trained on specific roles like customer-facing, back-end and store management. Wages range from Rs 12,000-15,000 per month and they would also get performance-based variable pay,&quot; he added.</p>

<p>The retail sector sees 15 per cent additional staff as Indians are known to buy new phones and electronic gadgets during this time, experts told PTI.</p>

<p>&quot;In preparation of the festive spike, we had created nearly 10,000 temporary jobs. The temporary positions are mostly in logistics and delivery and some positions are also in the seller support function,&quot; Tony Navin, SVP, Partnerships and Strategic Initiatives, Snapdeal said in a PTI report.</p>

<p>Hiring is heavier in cities of Lucknow, Kolkata and Bengaluru with the highest demand here.</p>

<p>(WION with inputs from PTI)</p>


Companies tend to hire a temporary workforce during the festive season owing to the steep hike in demand for goods

Temporary hiring may see a jump of 20 to 25 per cent this festive season in India as compared to last year, say experts. The festive season - from Ganesh puja around August to New Year - requires additional staff to handle the rise in demand, especially for e-commerce companies, logistics, FMCG, hospitality, retail, supply chain and transport. Companies report almost 40-50 per cent of their total business during the festive period and hire temporary resources, including interns and young college-goers, states a PTI report. "This temporary hiring not only avoids the long-term cost for start-ups, but helps them in experimenting fresh resources in different functional areas. And they observes resources for permanent and long term roles," said Sunil Goel, MD, executive search firm GlobalHunt, adding that temp hiring will go up by a minimum 20-25 per cent as against last year. PTI also Sen as saying that the Future group is looking to hire nearly 1,000 additional workers for the festive rush. "They hire from staffing firms like TeamLease Services, students from tier 2 and 3 cities who are later trained on specific roles like customer-facing, back-end and store management. Wages range from Rs 12,000-15,000 per month and they would also get performance-based variable pay," he added. The retail sector sees 15 per cent additional staff as Indians are known to buy new phones and electronic gadgets during this time, experts told PTI. "In preparation of the festive spike, we had created nearly 10,000 temporary jobs. The temporary positions are mostly in logistics and delivery and some positions are also in the seller support function," Tony Navin, SVP, Partnerships and Strategic Initiatives, Snapdeal said in a PTI report. Hiring is heavier in cities of Lucknow, Kolkata and Bengaluru with the highest demand here. (WION with inputs from PTI)

Temporary hiring to rise during festive season in India

<p>Five persons were killed and four others injured in an explosion in the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday, October 25.</p>

<p>The explosion took place late night in a two-storey building in the Pitarkunda locality of Varanasi where firecrackers were being produced illegally, the police said.</p>

<p>Around nine persons were inside the house at the time of the explosion, senior superintendent of police Nitin Tiwari told PTI.</p>

<p>The explosion must be a result of some explosives catching fire, police suspect.</p>

<p>The injured were rushed to the BHU&#39;s trauma centre and an investigation is underway.</p>

<p>Fire tenders were soon rushed to the spot and a National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) team was called for rescue and relief operations, PTI reported.</p>

<p>(WION with inputs from PTI)</p>


Local police said that firecrackers were being produced illegally in the two-storey building

Five persons were killed and four others injured in an explosion in the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday, October 25. The explosion took place late night in a two-storey building in the Pitarkunda locality of Varanasi where firecrackers were being produced illegally, the police said. Around nine persons were inside the house at the time of the explosion, senior superintendent of police Nitin Tiwari told PTI. The explosion must be a result of some explosives catching fire, police suspect. The injured were rushed to the BHU's trauma centre and an investigation is underway. Fire tenders were soon rushed to the spot and a National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) team was called for rescue and relief operations, PTI reported. (WION with inputs from PTI)

India: Explosion in illegal cracker factory kills 5, injures 4 in Uttar Pradesh

<p>Ahead of India&#39;s festival of Diwali, the government of the country&#39;s capital Delhi has increased its vigil against imported firecrackers, ordering inspection teams to search markets and godowns more frequently.</p>

<p>In a review meeting attended by senior government and police officials, environment minister Imran Hussain directed strict action against those found violating the norms, India&#39;s news agency PTI reported.</p>

<p>The minsiter also ordered that court orders regarding the prevention of noise pollution --- especially relating to the complete ban on bursting of sound emitting firecrackers between 10pm to 6am ---&nbsp; would have to be enforced.</p>

<p>District-wise inspection teams, of senior administration officers and engineers, constituted for checking the availability of firecrackers in the market, have been asked to increase the frequency of their inspections, the environment ministry said in a statement.</p>

<p>&quot;The team(s) of officers from Licensing Unit constituted to check godowns randomly for availability of imported firecrackers in the market should augment their vigilance and field visits,&quot; the statement added.</p>

<p>The crackdown against imported firecrackers specially targets imports from China, an ally of Pakistan, with which India&#39;s relations have deteriorated after the Uri attacks in Kashmir. China has repeatedly blocked India&#39;s efforts at international forums for action against terrorist groups operating out of Pakistan.</p>

<p>The sale of Chinese crackers is likely to go down by 30% this Diwali, a traders body, Sale of Confederation of All India Traders, recently said in a statement.</p>

<p>Pollution levels in the city shoot up after Diwali. Last year, the air quality had deteriorated to &quot;severe&quot; after celebrations with pollution levels rising more than 20 times in certain areas of the city. Noise pollution was also high in most parts of the city.<br />
<br />
(WION with inputs from PTI)</p>


The crackdown against imported firecrackers is for reducing pollution and also to curb imports from China, reports suggest

Ahead of India's festival of Diwali, the government of the country's capital Delhi has increased its vigil against imported firecrackers, ordering inspection teams to search markets and godowns more frequently. In a review meeting attended by senior government and police officials, environment minister Imran Hussain directed strict action against those found violating the norms, India's news agency PTI reported. The minsiter also ordered that court orders regarding the prevention of noise pollution --- especially relating to the complete ban on bursting of sound emitting firecrackers between 10pm to 6am --- would have to be enforced. District-wise inspection teams, of senior administration officers and engineers, constituted for checking the availability of firecrackers in the market, have been asked to increase the frequency of their inspections, the environment ministry said in a statement. "The team(s) of officers from Licensing Unit constituted to check godowns randomly for availability of imported firecrackers in the market should augment their vigilance and field visits," the statement added. The crackdown against imported firecrackers specially targets imports from China, an ally of Pakistan, with which India's relations have deteriorated after the Uri attacks in Kashmir. China has repeatedly blocked India's efforts at international forums for action against terrorist groups operating out of Pakistan. The sale of Chinese crackers is likely to go down by 30% this Diwali, a traders body, Sale of Confederation of All India Traders, recently said in a statement. Pollution levels in the city shoot up after Diwali. Last year, the air quality had deteriorated to "severe" after celebrations with pollution levels rising more than 20 times in certain areas of the city. Noise pollution was also high in most parts of the city. (WION with inputs from PTI)

Ahead of festival, India strengthens drive against imported firecrackers

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