Lucknow, Nov 2 (TIWN) The sale of firecrackers in Uttar Pradesh appears to have been severely impacted by awareness about pollution, the continuing pandemic and the government's ban on non-green crackers.

Ajmal, who has been selling crackers for the past 19 years, said, "There are so many restrictions which are being misused by the police. We do not know which is a green cracker and which is not. The cops harass us and extort money. Besides, the government has said that cracker shops should be put up in open areas only. Who will come to buy crackers there unless you have a shop in the market area?"   

He said that most of his colleagues in the business had decided not to put up cracker shops this year.   On an average in the past, there used to be around 1,500 firecracker shops in the state capital but the number, this year, has come down to 500.    Most shops have sought permission in the trans-Gomti area which falls under north zone. ADCP, north, Prachi Singh, said that till Monday night, 185 shops had sought permission to sell firecrackers.