LUCKNOW, Nov. 4 -- With Diwali less than a week away, Lucknow police have proposed setting up 1,201 temporary firecracker shops at 60 designated locations across the city. Police have also laid down stringent safety norms for vendors, making the sale of only green crackers permissible at the approved sites. According to a police details issued on Tuesday, the shops have been proposes across the city's five zones - Western, Central, Northern, Eastern and Southern. Sarojininagar's Sainik Ground has the highest number of proposed shops at 67, followed by 50 each at Kathavachak Maidan in Ashiana, Vikasnagar Mini Stadium, Government Polytechnic Ground in Ghazipur and Ram Bharose Maiku Lal ground in the PGI area. Other major locations include Shakuntala Degree College in Para with 45 shops, followed by 40 each at DAV Inter College in Naka, Amrapali Yojana in Dubagga, and Sector-E Secretariat Colony in Madiaon. Thirt-five shops have been proposed at Kathauta Lake area in Chinhat and 25 at LPS Ground in Vibhuti Khand. Police have made it mandatory for every shopkeeper to display a copy of their licence at the shop. Each outlet must also have a 200-litre water drum, two buckets, adequate sand, a spade and a five-kg-capacity DCP fire extinguisher. To minimise the risk of fire accidents, temporary firecracker shops must be at least 50 metres away from protected structures, including residential buildings, hospitals, schools, electricity transformers and warehouses storing inflammable material. A clear passage of three to six metres must be maintained in front of the shops to facilitate crowd movement and access for fire tenders. The outlets will be allowed only under tin sheds, with a minimum distance of three metres between two shops. Shops must not block main roads or be set up beneath electric wires. Vendors will also have to obtain temporary electricity connections before setting up their outlets. Police have specified that only green crackers, described in the notification as causing 30% less pollution than conventional crackers, will be permitted for sale. The note also specifies a sound range of 110 to 125 decibels. The sale of high-decibel and hazardous fireworks, including rockets, firecracker strings, bombs, missiles and cracker mats, will not be allowed. Vendors cannot demonstrate fireworks by lighting them at the shops or display loose firecracker material. Sale of any other goods alongside fireworks is also prohibited. Police said they have been conducting drives against illegal storage and sale of firecrackers in different parts of the city. Local police teams, along with sniffer dogs and the Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad (BDDS), are carrying out checks to identify unauthorised stockpiling and sales. Police have warned that licences may be cancelled at any time in case of violations or if restrictions on firecrackers are imposed. Residents have also been urged to report suspicious activities to police....