No Diwali Fireworks In Three Villages Of Bathinda As Safety And Security Take Precedence Over Celebration
These villages are located in the close proximity to the Army cantonment and an oil depot
Published : October 15, 2025 at 6:51 PM IST
Bathinda: In common perception, Diwali is a festival marked by the bursting of crackers and fireworks. But in some villages around Bathinda in Punjab, safety and security take precedence over this sort of celebration. Such celebrations marked by fireworks are prohibited in the villages of Phoos Mandi, Bhagu and Gulabgarh because of their close proximity to the Army cantonment and an oil depot.
The residents of these villages have not burst crackers on Diwali for the last five decades. If anyone is found doing so, the Bhatinda District administration takes strict action against him or her. Days before the festival of lights, the administration makes regular announcements regarding the burning of firecrackers and also stubble in these villages.
While the elders understand the concerns of the authorities, they have a problem explaining things to their small children, who want to burst crackers on this festival.
"When the children insist on bursting crackers on the occasion of Diwali, they are sent to their maternal grandparents' village or to the house of their aunts and uncles for the celebrations. If any person goes against the administrative instructions and sets fire to crackers or stubble, then the administration takes legal action against him by registering a case," they explained. The villagers point out that the Army cantonment came up in Bathinda in 1976, for which land was acquired from various villages, including Bhagu, Gulabgarh and Bucho villages.
Since the cantonment had an ammunition depot near Phus Mandi, sometimes the pieces of expired ammunition would fall into the village while being destroyed. The villagers claim to have suffered on this count on several occasions and say that their concerns remained unaddressed by the administration.
They are also miffed over new construction being banned in the village and the mapping being done by the Army. The villagers of Phoos Mandi said, "Even if any person from the village tries to water their fields or make tea in the fields at night, the soldiers immediately arrive to question him. Along with this, they warn the people not to set fire in this area. The people face a major problem during the Diwali festival and during the paddy season, as they cannot celebrate the festival or burn stubble because of being in close proximity to the cantonment and the oil depot."
The villagers also have another concern on their minds. The rates of their lands have not increased because of the proximity to the military cantonment and the oil depot besides there being no direct road to the village. The villagers claimed that even their relatives are reluctant to visit them as access to their village is not easy.
They want the administration to take appropriate measures to ensure that they can also celebrate Diwali by bursting crackers. While there are 352 houses in Phoos Mandi with 1814 people living in them, the population of Bhagu is 2088 residing in 393 houses. Meanwhile, the population is 1756 in Gulabgarh that lives in 342 houses.
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