This Deepavali season, the city police have formed a Joint Task Force (JTF) with representatives from other agencies to ensure fire safety at 62 playgrounds where crackers will be sold for the next five days. This follows the firecracker accident in Attibele in October that killed a total of 15.
This JTF will be led by Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), with representatives from Fire and Emergency Services, Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike, Bangalore Electricity Supply Company (Bescom), and Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB). The task force will be a roving squad and conduct surprise checks to ensure all permit conditions are followed by cracker sellers and there are no untoward fire accidents.
“We will take stringent action and book cases against any sellers who violate licence conditions,” city police commissioner B. Dayananda said.