October 18, 2025

Get ready for a cleaner, greener Diwali in Kolkata! This year, the city has laid down clear and colorful rules to keep celebrations safe and eco-friendly. The big news? Only eco-friendly green firecrackers will be allowed to burst on October 20, the day of Kali Puja and Diwali, but only from 8 pm to 10 pm. The Kolkata Police made this official on Friday with a strict notification. But that’s not all! On Chhath Puja, which falls on October 28, fireworks will get a morning slot — from 6 am to 8 am. So, if you want to keep the festive spirit sparkling, remember these time windows! Police warn, "Violation of the stipulated time slots will invite penal action." The crackdown and these green rules come after orders from the Supreme Court, the Calcutta High Court, and the West Bengal Pollution Control Board, who want to keep the air clean and people safe. How serious is Kolkata about this? Very serious! Police stations across the city are on high alert, monitoring the use of fireworks like hawks in the night sky. Until Thursday, Kolkata Police have already seized a massive 2,572 kg of illegal fireworks and arrested four people in 21 separate cases. This intense effort started back in September 20 and saw another haul of 425 kg of banned firecrackers and three arrests by October 9. Adding it all up, the total confiscation stands at a whopping 2,996 kg across 29 cases, with seven arrests in total. So, this Diwali, when you light up the skies over Kolkata, think green, think safe, and remember the timing! The city’s motto is loud and clear: celebrate with joy, but burst only eco-friendly firecrackers between 8 pm and 10 pm to keep the festival merry and the air clean.

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Tags: Kolkata, Eco-friendly firecrackers, Diwali, Kali puja, Firecracker ban, Illegal fireworks,