Mysore/Mysuru: Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) is waiting for guidelines from the Union and State Governments on the sale and bursting of crackers in the wake of prevailing COVID-19 pandemic across the country.

“We are waiting for the guidelines from the Union Health Ministry which is aware of the effects of cracker bursting on recovered and recovering Corona positive patients,” MCC Commissioner Gurudatta Hegde told Star of Mysore.

Hegde said he was aware of the fact that bursting of crackers will cause health problems for recovered or recovering COVID-19 patients and also for others ailing from respiratory problems. The cracker smoke will cause breathlessness for some people. The Health Ministry will definitely come up with guidelines to deal with this health problem, he added.

Big grounds

The Commissioner said the Corporation is planning to allow licensed traders to sell the crackers in big grounds at various locations in the city to avoid large gathering near the shops. The J.K. Grounds may be one of the big grounds that may be finalised to sell crackers. However, they will not allow more shops in the Town Hall premises this year in order to avoid large turnout of citizens at one place.

The Corporation was not averse to take up an intensive campaign in the city, in consultation with the District Administration, appealing the citizens to avoid bursting of crackers in view of prevailing pandemic. This will be done to save home quarantined Corona positive patients from facing other health complications. A decision to this effect will be taken during the first week of November, he said.

Meanwhile, the greens have demanded a total ban on the sale of crackers this time due to spike in Corona positive and casualty rates in city and district. They said bursting of crackers will also impact environment to a great extent.