Karnataka imposes 8-10 pm curfew on green Diwali crackers under safety rules

Karnataka's state administration issued an order restricting the use of green firecrackers on Deepavali to the window between 8 pm and 10 pm. The directive, framed under the state's fire‑safety regulations, applies uniformly across all districts and mandates that vendors and residents observe the stipulated hours. Officials warned that any violation of the curfew will attract penalties as per existing law. The move is intended to curb fire‑related accidents and reduce noise pollution while still permitting the use of environmentally‑friendly crackers. Authorities said they will conduct spot checks during the permitted period to ensure compliance.