Chinese fireworks too noisy, say advisers

(Reuters)
Updated: 2007-03-08 16:53

Two Chinese political advisers are seeking to extinguish the country's new-found love for extra-loud firecrackers during the Chinese New Year holiday.

"The loud noises from firecrackers incur heart attacks with the elderly and scare the children," Xinhua news agency quoted Zhao Zhongxiang, a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), as saying.

Additionally, some dogs died of shock and birds were forced from their nests, the renowned TV host, who earned his fame by hosting the TV programme "Animal World", was quoted as saying.

Zhao's view was shared by another political adviser, Zhu Yinghuang.

"Can we put some limits on the explosive power of firecrackers in production and more restraints on the time and place of setting off firecrackers?" asked Zhu, former editor-in-chief of the China Daily.

Firecrackers, traditionally believed to scare away demons and bring forth good fortune, were banned by the Beijing in 1994 due to safety and environmental concerns, but the ban was lifted partially in 2006 for the Lunar New Year holiday.

More than 380,000 boxes of firecrackers were sold in more than 2,000 outlets in the capital over the holiday while at least 560 million substandard firecrackers were confiscated before New Year's Eve, which fell on February 17, Xinhua said.

Some 715 people were injured and one was killed by firecrackers during the celebrations in Beijing, according to municipal health authorities.

The CPPCC, the main advisory body to the National People's Congress, or parliament, is meeting alongside the annual NPSC session.