The police of Morrisville town in North Carolina, in the US, put out a Facebook post on illegal fireworks being set off in the area during the Diwali celebration that damaged the cricket field. The police department also posted the photo of a ‘significant amount of litter’ and warned that the incident jeopardizes community safety. The police asked for any information about those responsible for the firecrackers and the litter. “Anyone with information about those responsible is asked to contact the Morrisville Police Department at (919) 463-1600,” the Facebook post read. “While we appreciate the community interest in celebrating holidays, the private use of fireworks is prohibited in Morrisville parks, greenways, and other public property. This ban includes the use of firecrackers and pyrotechnics which are illegal to use without a permit. The rule is enforced due to safety concerns and noise ordinances.”“The firing, discharging, or ignition of fireworks or other pyrotechnics (except with a permit as set forth in the Code of Ordinances, Article II, Section 18-48) requires a permit subject to the approval of the Town of Morrisville and Wake County Fire Marshal (Code of Ordinances, Article II, Section 18-44),” the notice said. The police also said that certain fireworks are illegal to sell or possess in North Carolina including firecrackers, ground spinners, bottle rockets, Roman candles, and aerial fireworks.
US town police asked for information on Facebook on Diwali litter.
‘No one complains this much about July 4 though’
The post with photos of how cracker boxes were dumped and how the field was damaged evoked mixed responses as people questioned why cops did not monitor the situation. Some people pointed out that no one complains so much about July 4. “As an Indian American who celebrates Diwali, I will say it’s NOT right to use public facilities for fireworks, especially when it’s banned due to safety reasons. Thanks MPD for sharing and calling attention to this safety hazard,” one Sri Nagarajan posted. “As for the trash, it’s similar to other public events like a marathon or other major events where folks leave pizza boxes and other trash. Perhaps a little coordination with the parks department (and ideally some community giving) could have helped clear the trash. A solution might be for the town to designate such events as “major events” and require organizers to pay for additional cleaning etc (of course not fireworks trash!).” Nagarajan said.
