RAIPUR,CG,BHARAT: With the Diwali festival approaching, authorities have issued important fire safety instructions to ensure the safety of firecracker shops and surrounding areas.

Key guidelines include, Shops should be constructed using non-flammable materials like tin sheds. Use of flammable materials such as cloth, bamboo, rope, or tents is strictly prohibited. Firecracker shops must maintain a distance of at least three meters between each other and should not be directly facing one another.

The use of oil lamps, gas lamps, or open electric lights is banned within firecracker shops. Display of fireworks within 50 meters of any shop is also strictly prohibited.

Shops must ensure there are no open electrical joints, and every master switch should be equipped with a fuse or circuit breaker to automatically stop electric flow in the event of a short circuit. Shops must not be located near transformers, and high-tension power lines should not pass above them.

Each firecracker shop must be equipped with a 5 kg DCP fire extinguisher (with a range of six feet). Additionally, there should be 200-liter water drums with buckets placed at intervals in front of the shops.

Parking of vehicles in front of firecracker shops is strictly prohibited to ensure easy access for emergency vehicles.

Firecracker shops must display the contact numbers of the fire department and ambulance services. There should be enough space for fire fighting vehicles to move easily.

These guidelines are aimed at ensuring public safety and preventing fire hazards during the Diwali festivities.