London, Oct.19 : A council representing the British constituency of Slough has banned bonfire night celebrations in a bid to promote "a Cleaner, Safer, Greener Slough".

According to the Daily Mail, the emphasis of the fireworks display, to be held in a Berkshire town park on November 3, will be on festivals that have a multicultural appeal, such as the Hindu and Muslim festivals of Diwali and Eid.

Officials claim the smoke produced by burning the fire and an effigy of Guy Fawkes is at odds with their efforts to promote greener policies.

Bonfires have already been banned by a number of other councils because of health and safety fears.

Public fires have also been cancelled by those who considered them a culturally exclusive British tradition which ignores those from ethnic groups.

The council admitted it had no idea what environmental impact a single annual event might have.

Residents of Slough are furious about the town's bonfire night party being cancelled

Conservative councillor Dexter Smith said: 'It is rather pleasant to warm yourself up by the bonfire so there is a bit of me that will miss that.'
"The fireworks appeal particularly to the Asian population, with Diwali and Eid, so it still retains some elements of the Gunpowder Plot and makes the event multicultural," he added.

Others were less forgiving of the decision to cancel the tradition of burning a Guy.

Labour councillor Rob Anderson said: "On bonfire night you have a bonfire. The point of having a public-display is for safety reasons - to dissuade people from having them in their own gardens. If people do not feel satisfied that they have been entertained they may go and do their own. If they are following the environmental line then they should not have fireworks because they are full of chemicals."

John Midgely, of the Campaign Against Political Correctness, said: 'If the council is genuinely interested in green issues they shouldn't be wasting their time with all this hot air. It is part and parcel of our country's heritage and if their motivation is to undermine this heritage they are being nothing short of politically correct."

Slough officials insisted, however, that their decision was purely about promoting a "Cleaner, Safer, Greener" environment. (ANI)