Bhubaneswar, Oct 28: Commissionerate Police on Monday issued safety guideline mandatory to be followed by vendors and traders who have got temporary licence for firecracker shops in Bhubaneswar for Diwali.

As per the guidelines, the shopkeepers cannot keep more than 300 kg of firecrackers, and they should maintain a distance of at least three metres between two shops. They need to avail empty space in front of the shops.

The shopkeepers are advised to sell the firecrackers at the designated places, issued by the Commissionerate Police.

As many as 25 locations in the city have been identified to set up firecracker shops. As many as 465 applications were submitted of which 200 applications were allowed to open the temporary shops at the designated place.

Besides, each shop should have an adequate stock of firefighting equipment, including two fire extinguishers, water and two sacks full of dry sand.

Bhubaneswar DCP Suresh Dev Datta Singh appealed to the people to purchase the firecrackers from the certified shops at designated areas in the city.  He also urged the residents of the State Capital to lit or burst green crackers and celebrate the festival of light safely.

Meanwhile, the Commissionerate Police today conducted a massive raid at an illegal firecracker godown in the city outskirts and seized firecrackers worth over Rs 30 lakh.

Police also arrested two persons for producing and storing firecrackers illegally during raids in Balianta area under Bhubaneswar Urban Police District (UPD).

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