India, Kochi:  Yesterday, Kerala High Court (HC) judge sought a ban on use of high decibel firecrackers at festivals and religious functions in a letter sent to the chief justice of the court. In the letter, justice V Chitambaresh said the tragedy at Paravoor temple is not a solitary incident and that frequent accidents are happening in the state. Palakkad district has the most number of temple festivals with fireworks, he pointed out in the letter.

Use of high decibel fireworks affects the constitutional right to life of citizens and it should not be permitted in the name of right to religious freedom, the judge demanded. Through the letter, he has sought a ban on high decibel fireworks such as ‘amittu’, ‘gundu’, and ‘kathina vedi’. The judge suggests that low decibel Chinese crackers and use of crackers with sparkling lights should be permitted to be used.

High decibel fireworks is a threat to life and property and legal provisions may be invoked by the high court to impose a ban on high decibel firecrackers, the judge said in the letter. A division bench led by justice Thottathil B Radhakrishnan will consider the letter as a public interest litigation on Tuesday.