Chennai, Sept 24 (BPNS)
The firecracker hub of India, Sivakasi in Virudhunagar district of Tamil Nadu is lifeless after the Delhi Chief Minister Aravind Kejriwal announced a ban on the sale, use, storage of firecrackers for the festival of lights. Pollution is said to be the reason behind the ban which was announced some days ago by the Chief Minister.
The firecracker industry of Sivakasi is considered to be Rs 6000 crore and industry sources said that Delhi’s capital region share is around 15%.
President of Tamil Nadu Fireworks and Amorces Manufacturers Association (TANFAMA) , P. Ganeshan while speaking to BPNS said, “ We were allowed to manufacture firecrackers and suddenly the Delhi government has brought in a ban. We don’t know the reason for this ban and request the Delhi government and all other governments to allow use of firecrackers for two hours during Deepavali.”
The TANFAMA president said that production of firecrackers is strictly in compliance with the Supreme Court’s directives and said that seven states including Rajasthan and Delhi have crackers worth crores in stock due to the first wave of Covid -19 pandemic.
The firecracker manufacturers and distributors of Sivakasi is not expecting business from Delhi and Rajasthan for this year but want the present stocks worth crores to be used during Deepavali so that the crackers are sold during the next season.
Silambarasan, 41 , owner of a small firecracker unit in Sivakasi while speaking to BPNS said, “The major industry and the major livelihood of this area are firecrackers and our life is based on this. If Delhi bans firecrackers, other states are likely to follow suit. If that happens, then we are doomed.”
The production of firecrackers in Sivakasi this season is less by 30% and the production would be around 25 crore kilos.
Silambarasan said that there are around 1070 manufacturing units and over 1000 traders in and around Virudhunagar region of Tamil Nadu including Sivakasi.
The firecracker manufacturers and other traders have expressed hope that the Delhi government will revoke the ban and that the business would flourish in the days to come.
