The police are conducting regular raids in areas where fireworks are generally sold and have made seizures from Dakshindari in Lake Town this week. They found chocolate bombs, fuljhuris, chorkis and kali potka from a house-cum-shop there.

The high court has banned the use of fireworks in Calcutta and its adjoining areas and an officer of Bidhannagar Commissionerate said they had started awareness campaigns asking people not to use fireworks of any kind.

Crackers seized by Bidhannagar Police at Dakshindari in Lake Town Telegraph picture

More than 2,000 police personnel will be on the roads of Salt Lake and adjoining areas this year to not only ensure safe and peaceful celebrations but also to stop anyone from lighting up fireworks.

The police have also mapped out areas from where most complaints had been recorded in the earlier years such as Lake Town, the airport area, Baguiati and pockets of Rajarhat. Special patrol teams will be despatched in these regions.

“Let alone crackers, this year we will prosecute anyone using fireworks. We will keep an eye out for highrises as well,” said Mukesh, the police commissioner of Bidhannagar.

Apart from prosecutions, the police is banking on raising awareness and are conducting regular announcements in markets, asking sellers not to sell the banned items. A similar exercise is being carried out in residential areas, asking residents not to light up fireworks.

Like in past years, this year police pickets will be placed around big pandals like those in BF-CF Block, Rajarhat and Sukantanagar. The top brass of the commissionerate has already held meetings with the puja organisers and issued necessary directives.

Police have noted that residents of highrises burst crackers on their rooftops and are not taking a chance. “We will deploy civic police volunteers in some housing complexes to dissuade residents from doing so,” another officer said.