In the wake of a firecracker-related incident that claimed one life in Ludhiana recently, Deputy Commissioner Himanshu Jain has directed all Sub-Divisional Magistrates (SDMs) to conduct special checking drives against illegal storage of fireworks and inspect sweet shops and food establishments to prevent the sale of adulterated food during the festive season.The SDMs have been asked to coordinate with the concerned departments and personally supervise the drives. The DC has clarified that statutory action, including inspections, sampling, seizures and issuance of notices, will be taken only by officers authorised under the respective laws.Under the food safety drive, sweet shops, halwais, bakeries, restaurants and other food establishments will be inspected jointly by the Designated Officer (Food Safety) and Food Safety Officers.The teams will check the quality and freshness of sweets and other food articles, their preparation and storage practices, hygiene standards and the condition of the premises. Special attention will be paid to the quality of raw materials, including milk, khoya, ghee, paneer, edible oil and spices, with strict vigilance against the use of synthetic milk, spurious khoya, adulterated ghee and other substandard ingredients.The teams will also ensure that sweets and other food articles are kept in clean, covered containers/counters to protect them from dust, flies and contamination. Shopkeepers will be required to produce valid food safety licences or registrations. In cases of suspected adulteration or violations, Food Safety Officers will collect samples and initiate action under the Food Safety and Standards Act.All SDMs have also been directed to get all cold storages in their jurisdiction checked jointly with Food Safety Department teams. If sweets or other perishable food items are found stored there, the Food Safety Officers will examine their quality and storage conditions.Cold storage owners and managers will have to maintain batch-wise records of sweets, including their type, quantity, details of the food business operator, and dates of storage and withdrawal. The records will be cross-checked with the actual stock to verify the duration of storage and quality of the items.Separately, special checks will be conducted at designated firecracker sale sites and all licensed shops with the assistance of police and Fire Brigade officers. The teams will verify compliance with Rule 84 of the Explosives Rules, 2008, and the conditions of the licences.Fire-safety arrangements, including the availability and working condition of fire extinguishers, sand buckets, water and other firefighting equipment, will be checked. Electrical wiring and fittings will also be inspected to ensure safety, while access for fire tenders must remain unobstructed.Only permitted green crackers will be allowed to be sold. The authorities have been directed to keep a strict vigilance against the sale of banned fireworks, including joined crackers/series, crackers containing prohibited chemicals and those exceeding prescribed decibel limits. The permitted timings for bursting crackers, as laid down by the Supreme Court, must also be enforced.Any sale of fireworks without a licence, illegal storage or violation of licence conditions will invite immediate action under the Explosives Act, 1884, the Explosives Rules, 2008, and other applicable laws.The DC has further directed that all matters relating to temporary licences and the sale of fireworks be dealt with strictly in accordance with the Punjab and Haryana High Court order dated October 31, 2026.All SDMs have been asked to send daily action-taken reports to the DC’s through the Additional Deputy Commissioner (General) till the conclusion of the festivals.