Crackers and fireworks are fun to set off as well as photograph. But they’re also noisy and risk damage to life and property. Apart from this, they are a cause of air pollution and decreasing air quality. And in Singapore, they can land you in prison!
Jeevan Arjoon, a 29-year-old man of Indian-origin residing in Singapore has been found guilty of unlawfully bursting Diwali crackers by a court. According to The Straits Times, he had purchased them from a Deepavali bazaar in Little India in November 2018. At 3.30 am on November 6, he burst them in the Yishun area.
Such a fireworks display is illegal in Singapore. District Judge, Marvin Bay, said that discharge of fireworks can cause injuries and fires. It is loud, dangerous and may cause panic “in a time of heightened concern over possible acts of terrorism.”
He has been jailed for 3 weeks and fined S$5,000 (Rs. 2.5 lakh).
Singaporean law is quite strict about this matter. During Diwali last year, a total of 6 men were charged on similar counts. The courts in the country can impose fines between S$2,000 (Rs. 1 lakh) and S$10,000 (Rs. 5 lakh) on violators. In addition, a jail term of up to 2 years can be given.
The Supreme Court of India also imposed restrictions on the sale and bursting of firecrackers last year, but the order could not be fully implemented. Even though the police seized a lot of crackers and registered cases against defaulters, many got away without being punished.