Chinese Lanterns (Tukkals) throng Gujarat skies defying High Court order

Ahmedabad

Defying the Gujarat High Court order of last month and the administrative orders issued by various district authorities thereafter, Lakhs of Chinese Lanterns popularly known as Tukkal thronged the skies of Gujarat this evening on the occasion of Uttarayan.

Tukkals, which were banned by the High Court on December 22 hearing a PIL that claimed that these fire-lit China made flying lanterns were dangerous as they caused fire related incidents, started appearing in the sky as soon as the evening began to fall. By 0730 pm the skies of Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara, Rajkot, Jamnagar, Bhavnagar and many other cities were dotted with innumerous Tukkals.

Meanwhile an incident of fire allegedly caused by a Tukkal in Raopura area of Vadodara city was also reported.

The above mentioned PIL had claimed that last year 21 incidents of fires caused by Tukkals were reported in Ahmedabad alone in which three children were killed.

According to a rough estimate Tukkals worth over 100 crore were sold during last Uttarayan.

– DeshGujarat