Following death of five persons in a firecracker explosion two days ago, the Khurda district administration has decided to prohibit any firecracker shows on the occasion of Dola Utsav being held during Holi.
At a review meeting on the situation and to find ways to curb the menace of illegal firecracker manufacture and display in the district, Collector K Sudarshan Chakraborty said that investigation is on to trace the source of the raw materials procured for making crackers at the illegal manufacturing unit at Bhusandapur.
Meanwhile, the police has seized some explosive materials used in making firecrackers across the district and detained some people engaged in such illegal activities.
The collector said a joint squad has been formed to conduct raids on illegal firecracker units. He said the administration will make the village committees organizing such firecracker shows to refrain from doing so.
As Panchudola committee of Banapur in the district organizes the biggest ever firecracker show as per the age old tradition, the Sub-collector Dipti Ranjan Sethi met the organizers and convinced them to reduce the event.
The Khurda SP informed that six persons have been arrested following 17 raids and 62 kg of firecrackers have been seized. "The raids will continue and action would be taken on anyone found operating illegal firecracker manufacturing units," the SP said.
At a illegal manufacturing unit at Bhusandapur, five persons were killed and three others seriously injured in an explosition on Monday. Earlier on February 28, three persons were killed in a similar fire cracker manufacturing unit explosion.
