Representative image. Tarunsamanta, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
हिन्दी में सारांश Summary in Hindi
- पश्चिम बंगाल में 8 नवंबर को काली पूजा और दिवाली एक साथ हैं; सिर्फ प्रमाणित ग्रीन पटाखे रात 8 से 10 बजे तक चलाए जा सकते हैं।
- स्पतालों के 100 मीटर के भीतर पटाखे नहीं, छठ पूजा पर सुबह 6 से 8 बजे।
- WBPCB हेल्पलाइन 033-22023059 और 1800-345-3390, 7, 8 और 9 नवंबर को खुली रहेगी।
বাংলায় সারাংশ Summary in Bangla
- ৮ নভেম্বর পশ্চিমবঙ্গে কালীপুজো আর দীপাবলি একই রাতে; শুধু সার্টিফায়েড সবুজ বাজি, রাত ৮টা থেকে ১০টা পর্যন্ত।
- ক্টোবর নবান্নে রাজ্য নিয়ম জানিয়েছে: হাসপাতালের ১০০ মিটারের মধ্যে বাজি নয়, ছটপুজোয় সকাল ৬টা থেকে ৮টা।
- দূষণ নিয়ন্ত্রণ পর্ষদের হেল্পলাইন 033-22023059 ও 1800-345-3390, খোলা ৭, ৮ ও ৯ নভেম্বর।
Why it matters
With both festivals on one Sunday, the whole state's bursting is squeezed into a single two-hour slot, and anyone outside it, or using a non-green cracker, risks seizure and legal action. For people near hospitals, the elderly and those with breathing problems, the 100-metre rule and the helpline are the tools officials have offered.
Kolkata cracker time tonight runs for just two hours: only certified green crackers may be burst between 8 pm and 10 pm on Sunday, 8 November 2026, when Kali Puja and Diwali fall on the same night. The state government announced the window at Nabanna on 29 October, News On AIR (All India Radio’s news service) reported, and the rules apply across the state.
Anything outside those hours, and any cracker that is not an approved green variety, can bring legal action, officials said. Here is what the rules say, who announced them, and the numbers to call if a neighbourhood breaks them.
Kolkata cracker time and the rules announced at Nabanna
State Home Secretary Sanghamitra Ghosh and Director General of Police (DGP) Siddh Nath Gupta set out the guidelines at a press conference at Nabanna, the state secretariat, on Thursday, 29 October, according to News On AIR’s report of the announcement. Ms Ghosh said only certified green crackers would be allowed, from 8 pm to 10 pm on Diwali night and from 6 am to 8 am on Chhath Puja.
Green crackers are fireworks made to lower-emission formulas. In Kolkata, police have set up a QR (quick response) code check to help buyers tell approved green crackers from fakes, as explained below.
The noise limits set by the Supreme Court and the Calcutta High Court must be followed, AIR reported. A report of the same press conference on the news site newkerala.com put the ceilings at 125 decibels for loud crackers and 90 decibels for other varieties.
Three more rules came out of that briefing:
- No crackers within 100 metres of hospitals, nursing homes, old-age homes and other silence zones (AIR).
- Flying a paper sky lantern needs a licence from the Fire Department (newkerala.com).
- Cracker markets must be set up away from residential areas and follow fire safety rules (AIR and newkerala.com).
The newkerala.com report also said people living in multi-storeyed buildings were advised to keep an eye on smoke levels while bursting crackers.
Who is watching on Kali Puja night in Kolkata
Forest and Environment Minister Manoj Kumar Oraon said on 30 October that joint teams of police and Environment Department officials would be out across Kolkata on Kali Puja night to act against banned crackers and against bursting outside the permitted hours, the news agency United News of India (UNI) reported. He said surveillance would be stepped up in areas that saw widespread violations last year.
Kolkata Police has also been working on the supply side. On 29 October it said 110 kg of banned crackers had been recovered from the market, according to the newkerala.com report. On 3 November UNI reported that buyers in the city can scan a QR code to see a list of 1,700 authorised green fireworks, using software built by the Kolkata Police Reserve Force, and that the police had printed about 90,000 posters for the city’s cracker markets.
Where to complain if crackers break the rules
The West Bengal Pollution Control Board (WBPCB), the state body that enforces air and noise rules, is running a helpline on 7, 8 and 9 November for complaints about crackers during Diwali and Chhath, UNI reported on 30 October. The numbers are 033-22023059 and 1800-345-3390.
The state administration also gave citizens a helpline to report violations, the newkerala.com report said, without listing its number. Officials said unauthorised crackers would be seized and violators would face legal action.
Kali Puja crowds also mean late travel. Kolkata Metro’s Blue Line timings for Kali Puja night are in our earlier report on Kolkata Metro Kali Puja timings.
Tonight’s cracker rules in West Bengal at a glance
The rules for 8 November came in pieces over the past ten days, from different offices. NewsPlainly has put them in one place, with who announced each one and when.
| Rule | What it says | Announced by | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hours on Kali Puja and Diwali | 8 pm to 10 pm only | Home Secretary, Nabanna | 29 Oct |
| Hours on Chhath Puja | 6 am to 8 am only | Home Secretary, Nabanna | 29 Oct |
| Which crackers | Certified green crackers only | Home Secretary, DGP | 29 Oct |
| Noise | Supreme Court and High Court limits; 125 decibels loud, 90 decibels others (newkerala.com) | State government | 29 Oct |
| Near hospitals | No crackers within 100 metres | State government | 29 Oct |
| Sky lanterns | Fire Department licence needed | State government | 29 Oct |
| Night patrols | Joint police and Environment Department teams | Environment Minister | 30 Oct |
| Helpline | 033-22023059, 1800-345-3390 on 7 to 9 Nov | WBPCB | 30 Oct |
| Checking a box | QR code list of 1,700 green fireworks | Kolkata Police | 3 Nov |
Put simply, the permitted window tonight is 120 minutes, the same length as the separate 6 am to 8 am window on Chhath Puja morning.
What the rules leave unclear
NewsPlainly could not open the WBPCB’s order or find a 2026 Kolkata Police notice when it checked on the morning of 8 November: the board’s website loads as an app that returned no text, and the police home page did not carry the notice. This article therefore relies on the state government’s announcement as reported by AIR, UNI and newkerala.com.
The reports read do not give the fines that apply or the number of the state helpline mentioned at the briefing. Readers who need the exact wording can check the WBPCB and Kolkata Police websites.
This year one night carries both festivals, so the same 8 pm to 10 pm window covers Diwali at home and Kali Puja at the pandals.
Frequently asked questions
What is the cracker time in Kolkata on Kali Puja 2026?
8 pm to 10 pm on Sunday, 8 November 2026, for certified green crackers only, according to the state government's announcement reported by AIR and UNI.
Which crackers are allowed in West Bengal this Diwali?
Only certified green crackers. Kolkata Police says buyers can scan a QR code to see a list of 1,700 authorised green fireworks, UNI reported.
Where can I complain about crackers in Kolkata?
The WBPCB helpline numbers are 033-22023059 and 1800-345-3390, open on 7, 8 and 9 November, UNI reported.
Can I fly a sky lantern on Kali Puja?
Only with a licence from the Fire Department, according to a newkerala.com report of the state's 29 October guidelines.