Patna: The nationwide debate over firecrackers and pollution have found some resonance in Patna where shopkeepers are fearing that they will not be able to sell all their stock.

Residents are out buying crackers, lights, diyas, paper lanterns, rangolis, floating candles for the festive season with many of them paying heed to the environment. Chinese firecrackers, which the shopkeepers stocking them admit have harmful chemicals, are being given a cold shoulder for an eco-friendly Diwali.

There are more than 200 cracker shops in the city, including temporary stalls on Boring Road, Gandhi Maidan and Bailey Road though only some of them have permanent licences for sale. Firecracker wholesalers in Patna City - the hub of the festive trade - estimated that their sales are worth Rs 2-3 crore every Diwali.

This year, customers are coming in great numbers for items themed after cricketers and Bollywood stars. Packets with political leaders on them are not quite popular, said Mohammad Iqbal, one of the shopkeepers.

Rajesh Kumar, another vendor in Patna City, said Indian cricketers are in great demand, even more so after the Men in Blue winning matches against Australia. Children are lining up for Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Virat Kohli, Hardik Pandya while others are coming in search for Shah Rukh Khan, Hrithik Roshan, Katrina Kaif, Alia Bhatt and Varun Dhawan on their cracker boxes.

Iqbal said: "Last year, cent per cent of our firecracker stock was exhausted but looks like this time, 20 per cent of the items will go unsold. Crackers with political leaders on the covers are not selling like previous years but residents are also not buying the Chinese firecrackers."

Priyanka, a student of AN College in Patna, said burning crackers was an integral part of Diwali but the authorities should also make arrangements for non-polluting crackers. "Firecrackers and light are the attraction of Diwali but for this we also need to be careful. We cannot be polluting the environment."

Sonu, another shopkeeper in the city, also said the wholesale markets have been destroyed after the administration sealed over 13 shops over alleged violation of the Explosives Act. "Few shops have opened at their own risk as only two days are left for Diwali," he said.