Diwali celebrated in Bengal; 200 held for bursting banned crackers

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More than 200 persons have been arrested for bursting banned fireworks in the city and neighbouring areas during Diwali celebration on Wednesday. As the community Kali puja, celebrated on Tuesday, did not immerse their idols, bright and dazzling illumination was seen everywhere around numerous pandals across the city. Many shops and business establishments in the central business district and elsewhere lit up their premises with 'diyas' for Diwali.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee wished people on Twitter: "Heartiest greetings to all on the auspicious occasion of #Deepavali." She also posted similar message in Hindi. As part of police crackdown to prevent use of illegal fireworks, 61 persons were arrested in the city since 11 pm Tuesday till Wednesday afternoon, Kolkata Police sources said. Besides, eight others were held for playing loud music on DJ system in open space in the city, the sources said.

Another 150 persons were arrested in Salt Lake area, the satellite township in North, for bursting banned fireworks since Tuesday midnight till Wednesday afternoon, Bidhannagar Commissionerate Police sources said.

A WBPCB official said several complaints of bursting of firecrackers beyond the decibel limit and before the 8 pm time came from fringe areas of the city including Dumdum and Parnasree on Wednesday evening but did not give exact figure.

"We are keeping tab on the situation and our teams are moving around," the official said. WBPCB Chairman Kalyan Rudra earlier said seven teams were on patrol in the city during Diwali and Kalipuja to keep tab on flouting the decibel limit and the 2-hour window for bursting low-emission firecrackers and fire works set by the Supreme Court.

A Jadavpur University team of researchers conducted air monitoring in four points of the city during the day. "The pollution count of suspended particles is higher than normal time around this period in November," a member of the team said.

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