Bhubaneswar, Oct. 29 -- With Diwali approaching, firecracker traders in Bhubaneswar of Odisha have started applying for licences to open temporary shops at designated locations. Some traders said they would open their shops only after receiving the required permissions.

Police officials are preparing guidelines for firecracker sales and plan to form special teams to check compliance with safety rules. The teams will include personnel from the police, Fire Services and Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC).

Temporary firecracker shops will be allowed at designated open spaces, including the Durga Puja grounds in Nayapalli and Rasulgarh and the playground in Baramunda. Traders have started putting up poles at some of the designated site...