Telangana is set to celebrate Diwali with the dazzling lights of diyas and stunning vistas of the fireworks, amidst other states prohibiting the usage of firecrackers ahead of the Hindu festival.
According to firecracker traders, limited production of green crackers and a 30-35 percent increase in cracker pricing over the previous year may have an impact on their business, as demand for green crackers is increasing.
Sivakasi, the hub of firecracker manufacturing units has slashed production after the Supreme Court banned the use of barium nitrate in firecrackers.
T Praveen Kumar of Cracker Mela told TOI that the school holidays in Telangana have been announced and sales are likely to go up from Saturday onwards. He also informed that last year they had a turnover of 70 crores but this year it may cross 100 crores.
Rocket shots, which were offered for Rs 80-130 a box last year, now cost Rs 170, according to traders. The price of sparklers and pencil crackers, which were sold for Rs 100 last year, has risen to Rs 130-140 per box. A small anar, which cost Rs 60 a box last year, is now worth Rs 100.
According to Manik Rao, owner of Bhavani Crackers,” as per Supreme Court rules, all licensed dealers have planned to offer green firecrackers this year.” They have prohibited the production of synthetic firecrackers due to their low emission. However, our biggest issue this time is that production of crackers was very low owing to terrible weather, and low availability of metals is also quite limited due to rising raw material prices. As a result of the Central Government directive, manufacturers have stopped importing metals from China.”
“There are no registered green manufacturing companies in Telangana,” said Telangana Fire Workers Dealers Association (TFWDA) president K Venugopal, “but we import the stock from Sivakasi fireworks industries in Tamil Nadu.” Last year’s market was mixed, but this year, apart from the unsold crackers, we’re only selling green fireworks.”
“We offer a variety of green crackers, and sales have surged because of the ongoing holidays this year after Covid.” Green crackers are priced 30-40% more than ordinary crackers,” he added.
Overall, despite facing several challenges Telangana is likely to witness a rise in firecracker sales this Diwali and give a much-needed boost to the fireworks industry.
Delhi
Meanwhile, Gopal Rai, Delhi’s Environment Minister, announced on October 19 that producing, storing, and selling firecrackers in the national capital is a serious offense. He went on to say that anyone caught engaging in these activities could face a Rs 5,000 fine and a six-month jail sentence.
Furthermore, anyone found purchasing and bursting firecrackers is also a punishable offence. Anyone caught engaging in these acts faces a Rs 200 fine and a six-month jail term.
The minister stated that 408 teams had been formed to enforce the prohibition of firecrackers. The Delhi Police has formed 210 teams under the supervision of the assistant commissioner of police, the Revenue Department has formed 165 teams, and the Delhi Pollution Control Committee has formed 33 teams. These teams will enforce the ban on Delhi residents and, if necessary, arrest those “accused” of bursting firecrackers on Diwali.
On October 10, BJP MP Manoj Tiwari filed a petition in the Supreme Court challenging the AAP government’s ban on firecrackers, but the court refused to issue any further instructions, citing that the court had already delivered a clear decision. The Supreme Court has declined to overturn the ban on firecrackers in Delhi ahead of the October 24 holiday, citing pollution and advising petitioners to instead spend their money on sweets.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin recently wrote to his Delhi colleague Arvind Kejriwal, requesting that he allow the sale of firecrackers that comply with permitted regulations. The letter comes after firework makers in Tamil Nadu criticized the AAP Delhi government’s decision to prohibit the sale of fireworks in the state.
According to the manufacturers, the prohibition will hurt them for the third year in a row, affecting 15% of their sales. Stalin reminded Kejriwal in his letter that bursting crackers as a form of celebration is an internationally accepted practice, especially in highly environmentally concerned countries.
Haryana
Manohar Lal Khattar, the Chief Minister of Haryana, has said that all non-green crackers will be banned this Diwali. All around the state, appropriate locations have been selected for the selling of these green firecrackers. He went on to say that even with the holiday spirit, we must take care of the environment. Due to growing pollution in the state, Haryana banned the use of firecrackers this month. This decision was made in response to instructions issued by the Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) and the National Green Tribunal. “There will be a blanket ban on standard firecrackers on Diwali; only green crackers will be permitted,” ML Khattar stated.
Punjab
The Punjab government which has apparently failed in dealing with the issue of stubble burning which is the major contributor to increased pollution levels has announced a two-hour window for bursting firecrackers on Diwali, October 24, and has approved the usage of Green Crackers on the occasion. Notably, on October 12, the Punjab government issued guidelines allowing residents to use fireworks during Diwali and other festivities over the following three months. According to the guidelines, residents will be allowed to burst firecrackers only for two hours on Diwali, from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m.
West Bengal
On October 11, the Calcutta High Court ordered that no fireworks other than green crackers with QR codes be sold or used in West Bengal. The court has ordered state pollution control board (PCB) representatives and police officers to inspect firecrackers that would be sold in the market and confiscate those that do not match the acceptable requirements.
Banning of firecrackers by several states ahead of Diwali is not only a major setback for the fireworks industry but also spoils the spirit of the celebration of the festival.
