Guidelines on having a safe and hazard-free Diwali 2021 in Vizag

With Diwali 2021 less than a week away, your festival shopping would’ve begun already. While we buy a large variety of things on Diwali, one of the most popular purchases is firecrackers. After all, for many, bursting firecrackers is the fun part of this festival. But apart from leading to pollution, firecrackers are also a potential fire hazard. That is why people in Vizag need to be extra careful while making and selling them, not just lighting them. 

Last Sunday, a 67-year-old woman died, and another woman got injured, in an explosion at an illegal firecracker manufacturing unit in Medivada, Visakhapatnam. This incident not only raised the issue of illegal firecracker manufacturers in the district but also highlighted the dangers of making firecrackers. 

Hence, Yo! Vizag got in touch with Visakhapatnam District Fire Officer, BVS Ram Prakash, and listed down some guidelines that people can follow in order to have a safe and hazard-free Diwali 2021:

#1 It is recommended that people wear loose, cotton clothes while lighting firecrackers

#2 Keep a bucket of water around while lighting firecrackers

#3 Burst firecrackers in open places, far away from any buildings or any forests

#4 While children are lighting firecrackers, it is necessary for adults to keep an eye on them

The fire hazard is just as real for the firecracker stalls/shops that are set up during Diwali and hence, here are some guidelines that they should follow:

#1 Build your stalls with tin sheets

#2 Keep a gap of at least 3 metres from other stalls

#3 Keep surplus amounts of sand-buckets around to quickly extinguish any fire

#4 Firecracker-sellers shouldn’t hire any employees less than 18 years of age at their stalls

Follow these guidelines to have a safe and prosperous Diwali 2021 with your family and friends in Vizag.