Raipur, Chattisgarh:

The Chhattisgarh government has issued an advisory allowing the bursting of firecrackers for two hours on the occasion of Diwali, Chhath, Guruparva, Christmas and New Year. The time windows for Diwali would be between 8 pm and 10 pm.

Firecrackers are burst with great pomp and show during the festivals, especially Diwali, but in view of the increasing pollution in the environment, the Housing and Transport Department of Chhattisgarh has issued guidelines regarding the burning of firecrackers.

As per the issued guidelines, the duration for exploding firecrackers on Diwali and Guru Parv is from 8:00 pm to 10:00 pm, for Chhath Puja, the timings are from 6 am to 8 am and on New Year and Christmas, timings are from 11.55 pm to 12.30 am, an official statement said.

The other guidelines for the burning of firecrackers in the state include the sale of green firecrackers by licensed traders that generate less pollution.

The guidelines also added that only those firecrackers can be sold whose sound level is within the prescribed range. The sale, use and manufacture of series crackers or sticks is prohibited.

Instructions have also been given to cancel the license of such manufacturers of firecrackers, who have used lithium, arsenic, antimony, lead and mercury in firecrackers. The sale of firecrackers will be prohibited on online websites, as per the guidelines.

In a bid to curb air pollution during winter, the Chhattisgarh Environmental Conservation Board (CECB) has banned the bursting of crackers from December 1 to January 31 in six major cities of the state, including Raipur.

A department official said that the ban on firecrackers has been imposed to reduce air pollution and to keep the environment clean and healthy during the winter season.

The ban on firecrackers has been enforced in Raipur, Bilaspur, Bhilai, Durg, Raigarh and Korba.

The Supreme Court dismissed the petition of the firecracker manufacturers seeking permission to manufacture firecrackers using barium nitrate and allowed the bursting of firecrackers only for 2 hours on Diwali.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New York:

Diwali is a reminder for all to push away darkness and usher in light, New York City Mayor Eric Adams has said, calling on people to embrace the spirit of Lord Ram, Goddess Sita, and Mahatma Gandhi and be better human beings.

In his remarks at the annual Diwali celebration hosted at his New York residence, Gracie Mansion, on Tuesday, Adams asked people to embrace the endeavor to remove the darkness engulfing the world, which is witnessing the loss of innocent lives.

“Diwali is more than just a holiday. It is a reminder to all of us that we must push away the darkness wherever we see it and bring light. That is what the Festival of Lights is about,” Adams said.

At the annual celebration attended by hundreds of prominent members of the Indian-American and South Asian communities, as well as diaspora from other nationalities and government officials, Adams said that Diwali is more than lighting a candle or oil but about “lighting up our lives”.

We’re gearing up for the Festival of Lights! Join us LIVE at Gracie Mansion for our annual Diwali celebration with our Hindu New Yorkers: https://t.co/y6NnRxIDOM

— NYC Mayor’s Office (@NYCMayorsOffice) October 17, 2023

“There is so much darkness that we are seeing every day. So if we truly believe in the life of Ramayana, if we truly believe in the life of Sita, if we truly believe in the life of Gandhi, then we must continue Gandhi’s steps. We cannot only be worshippers; we must be practitioners,” he said.

Adams said that at a time when there is darkness all across the globe and the world is witnessing the loss of innocent lives, “we cannot continue to watch this engulf our future and engulf humanity.”

“Let’s be better human beings. Let’s live in the spirit of Diwali. Let’s live in the spirit of Gandhi. Let’s live in the spirit of Sita. Let’s live in the spirit of Ram, and then we will live up to the expectations of what this holiday really means,” he said.

New York State Assemblywoman Jenifer Rajkumar, who led efforts to make Diwali a school holiday in New York City, said that the Indian-American community has never been as powerful as it is now.

“We are unstoppable, and we have arrived at the table of power in this state,” she said.

She added that with everything going on in the world, in the Middle East, where there is terrible violence, and amid the hatred and bigotry against different groups, “we are the ones that can lead the way to peace.

“Ours is the culture of Martin Luther King Jr, who was famously inspired by Gandhi,” Rajkumar said.

“We feel equally at home in a synagogue, in a mosque, or in a church because, as Hindus, we don’t just tolerate people that are different from us; we go one step further and actively love people that are different from us,” she said.

“So now it’s time to spread our beautiful Dharmic light across the city, the nation, the Middle East, and the entire world,” she added.

Deputy Commissioner at the New York City Mayor’s Office for International Affairs, Dilip Chauhan, urged people to spread love and peace in their communities and worldwide, emphasising that hate has no place in New York City or anywhere else.

Chauhan recalled the hard work and efforts of Indian-American community members and city and state officials over the last 20 years to make Diwali a public holiday in NYC schools.

He said that as Brooklyn Borough President, Adams had promised that when he became NYC Mayor, he would ensure that the sons and daughters of the Indian-American and Hindu communities do not have to go to school on the festival of Diwali.

“He has fulfilled his promise,” Chauhan said.

Rajkumar, too, underscored the support extended by Adams to ensure that Diwali is made a school holiday in the city from this year onwards and said, “He is the Ram of New York City. Like Ram, he leads when others do not, and he leads our city in confronting the evils” of poverty, hatred, antisemitism, Islamaphobia, and indifference.

“For all that he has done for our community, we all call him the Hindu mayor,” she said.

Adams said that Lord Ram was the power and force against evil, and he pushed to rid the entire globe of darkness.

He added that another significant part of the story of the Ramayana is Goddess Sita, a woman of strength and integrity.

“So as we move forward in a particularly male-dominated society, let’s not forget that we will never be able to defeat darkness if we do not acknowledge all the Sitas that are in the universe fighting on behalf of and side by side with us,” he said.

The mayor also recalled his trip to India, his visit to the home of Gandhi, and seeing the Mahatma’s steps permanently etched there.

“It is symbolic that a bullet took his life, but it is up to us to continue the journey,” Adams said.

On the occasion, the Mayor also honoured prominent members of the Indian-American and diaspora community for their achievements and exceptional contributions to the community.

The honourees were Grammy-nominated musician and renowned business leader Chandrika Tandon; geriatric psychiatrist and Executive Director of India Home, a centre for senior care, Dr Vasundhara Kalasapudi; Indo-American Arts Council (IAAC) Chairman Nirmal Mattoo; Dr Hari Shukla; and musician Ustad Kamal Sabri.

Lucknow:

As per the intention of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the Uttar Pradesh government is making arrangements to provide uninterrupted power supply to people across the state during the upcoming festivals of Dussehra, Dhanteras, and Diwali.

The department has issued the necessary directives to the concerned officers and Discoms to ensure this. Dr Ashish Kumar Goyal, the Chairman of Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation, has said, “Uninterrupted electricity supply to Uttar Pradesh will be ensured on the occasion of these major festivals.”

He mentioned that for the ongoing Navratri festival, stringent directives have been issued to improve electricity supply across the state and to ensure that all areas receive electricity as per the fixed schedule.

The officials responsible for electricity distribution have been instructed to maintain an uninterrupted power supply from sunset to sunrise. Managing directors of Discoms, chief engineers, and officials of the Electricity Corporation have been specifically instructed to ensure electricity supply to Shakti Peethas and religious places according to the prescribed schedule during Navratri, in line with the state government’s objectives.

Furthermore, officials are urged to exercise vigilance in their respective areas and promptly address any disruptions in electricity supply at the local level to minimize inconveniences, he added.

The Chairman emphasized the importance of taking all necessary precautionary measures, particularly in addressing issues such as dilapidated or hanging wires and cables. Address complaints related to voltage fluctuations and low voltage. In the event of unexpected power breakdowns, it was advised to proactively organize an adequate number of repair teams to restore power supply. Additionally, complaints received through toll-free numbers should also be resolved promptly.

Instructions were also issued to set up special control rooms at both the Discom and district levels to ensure that all arrangements are made for uninterrupted power supply. Furthermore, it was directed that in areas where processions or gatherings for idol immersion are anticipated, officers should conduct on-site inspections to enhance the entire electrical system, thus minimizing the risk of electrical accidents and ensuring a safe environment for public events, he further informed.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Petrol sales dropped to 1.17 million tonnes during the first half of October from 1.29 million tonnes a year earlier.
| Photo Credit: Manvender Vashist

Petrol and diesel sales fell in the first half of October ahead of the start of the festival season that is expected to boost consumption, preliminary data of state-owned firms showed.

Last year, Durga Puja/Dussehra as well as Diwali fell in October. This year the festival season, when consumption picks up, starts in the second half of October.

Petrol sales by three state-owned fuel retailers fell 9% year-on-year, the first drop in two months. Diesel consumption dropped 3.2%.

The decline was largely because of the larger base of last year.

Petrol sales dropped to 1.17 million tonnes during the first half of October from 1.29 million tonnes a year earlier.

Sales dropped 9% month-on-month as well.

Consumption of diesel, the most consumed fuel in the country — accounting for about two-fifths of the demand, dropped to 2.99 million tonnes during October 1 to 15 from 3.09 million tonnes a year back. Month-on-month sales were, however, up 9.6% compared with 2.73 million tonnes in the first half of September.

Diesel sales typically fall in monsoon months as rains lower demand in the agriculture sector which uses the fuel for irrigation, harvesting and transportation. Also, rains slow vehicular movements. This had led to a fall in diesel consumption in the last three months. Since the end of the monsoon, consumption has risen month-on-month.

Consumption of diesel had soared 6.7% and 9.3%in April and May, respectively, as agriculture demand picked up and cars yanked up air-conditioning to beat the summer heat. It started to taper in the second half of June after the monsoon set in. It has continued to fall since.

Suppliers’ group OPEC sees India’s oil demand expanding on average by 2,20,000 barrels per day on the back of vigorous economic growth.

Consumption of petrol during October 1-15 was 12%more than in the COVID-marred October 2021 and 21.7% more than in pre-pandemic October 2019.

Diesel consumption was up 23.4% over October 1-15 in 2021 and 23.1% compared to October 2019.

With the continuing rise in passenger traffic at airports, jet fuel (ATF) demand rose 5.7% to 2,95,200 tonnes during first fortnight of October against the same period last year.

It was 36.5% more than in October 1-15, 2021, but 6.6% lower than pre-COVID October 2019.

Month-on-month jet fuel sales were almost 2% lower compared to 3,00,900 tonnes in September 1-15, 2023.

Cooking gas LPG sales were up 1.2% year-on-year at 1.25 million tonnes in the first half of October. LPG consumption was 10.6% higher than in October 1-15, 2021 and 153% more than in pre-COVID October 2019.

Month-on-month, LPG demand fell 7.5% against 1.36 million tonnes of LPG consumption during September 1-15, the data showed.