“ Delhi government has banned firecrackers in Delhi. You just go out and asked the shopkeepers that you need firecrackers for Diwali. They will give you.” Said Surendra Sharma, a resident of Kinari Bazar, opposite Jama Masjid, Delhi. Tehelka correspondent met Surendra Sharma when he went to spot check whether firecrackers banned in Delhi are available or not. ? To the surprise of this correspondent, we met several people in Delhi’s Jama Masjid area who guided this correspondent from where to get firecrackers for Diwali despite ban.
As we were looking for a firecrackers shop in the Kinari Bazar area of Delhi, we met Surendra Sharma, a resident of that area. When asked from where we can get firecrackers in Delhi. ? He started narrating us the plan as to how despite ban we can get firecrackers in that area. He first guided us that we should go to the gate number 3 of Jama Masjid . Opposite that gate we will get lots of firecrackers shops from where, we can get firecrackers for Diwali. But we have to be very smart. Add Surendra, If we ask them directly for the firecrackers, they will refuse. We should ask for the firecrackers indirectly, and they will give. “ Delhi government has banned firecrackers in Delhi. You just go out and asked the shopkeepers that you need firecrackers for Diwali, They will give you”. Said Surendra Sharma.
Surendra Sharma further told Tehelka reporter that we should tell the shopkeeper about our demand. The kind of firecrackers we need for Diwali. After that we can negotiate on price. After all this they will pack the firecrackers in a packet, and will hand over to us after calling us inside the shop. “ First select the brands of firecrackers we need. Negotiate on the price with the shopkeeper, after that the shopkeeper will pack the firecrackers in the packet and deliver it to you after calling you inside his shop” Said Surendra Sharma. The way Surendra Sharma narrated the plan of getting firecrackers in Delhi despite ban indicate how easy it is to get firecrackers in Delhi despite ban. And second Shopkeepers are still selling firecrackers.
There may be blanket ban on sale, manufacture, storage and use of all types of firecrackers in Delhi, but it hasn’t deterred a black market from taking root. They have found new ways of selling firecrackers in Delhi. As guided by Surendra Sharma, we approached the firecrackers market of Delhi, situated opposite gate number 3 of Jama Masjid. Here we met Hari, sitting in front of a Firecracker Shop. The shop was closed because of Sunday. Hari guided us to go to the village situated in Palwal in Haryana. According to him the shopkeeper have shifted their base to Palwal, after the firecrackers were banned in Delhi, and are now selling the items from there. “ After the ban, the shopkeeper have shifted its base to Palwal. So now we have to go to Palwal for the Firecrackers”.
Hari asked us the quantity of firecrackers we want to buy. We told him that we have a shop and we are looking to buy firecrackers of Rs 2 lakh. On this hari told us that the shopkeeper is having a massive godown in Palwal and from there we can buy 10 trucks of firecrackers, and that will be available in half an hour. “ The shopkeeper is having a big godown in Palwal, and from there we can get 10 trucks of firecrackers at a time in half an hour.” Said Hari. Hari also asked us to come at Delhi shop early morning around 7-7.30, at a time when shopkeeper goes to Palwal , we can go with him in our vehicle and bring the stuff from there to Delhi.
When asked whether firecrakers can be delivered to Noida ? On this Hari told us that we have to pay transport charges, the items can be delivered in Noida. He also told us that all Delhiites, after the ban are bringing firecrackers from Palwal. “ Firecrakers can be delivered in Noida, but we have to bear the transport cost. After the ban , Delhi people are bringing firecrackers from Palwal.” Said Hari.
Ground report by Tehelka indicate that despite ban in Delhi, Firecrackers are easily available. People like Surendra Sharma and Hari, will guide you from where, whom and how to get Firecrackers. Hari also gave us the number of a famous shopkeeper, who shifted his base from Delhi to Palwal after the ban in Delhi. And told us that we can get 10 trucks of firecrackers in half an hour from this famous joint.
