Chennai: After the Supreme Court declared on Tuesday that crackers should be burst at a specific time (8 pm to 10 pm) during Deepavali and imposed major curbs, traders and manufactures are worried about the loss they may face.
The court has also banned the use of certain chemicals that produce high emissions. Traders at Sivakasi have decided to file a review petition while the Tamilnadu Fireworks & Amorces Manufacturers Association is also likely to move the court to ask for relaxation in the verdict.
Talking to News Today, TN Fireworks & Amorces Manufacturers Association president Asaithambi said there would be loss which the traders and manufactures have to face in the coming weeks.
“It will definitely affect us because here in Tamilnadu people start bursting crackers from early in the morning. Also, the court has restricted the usage of certain chemicals in the crackers that we manufacture. We need to find an alternative now,” he explained.
“We still need to discuss the issue with all the association members and soon we will decide if we can file a review petition and ask for relaxation,” he said.
He added that crackers for this year’s Deepavali have already been manufactured.
Former president, TN Fireworks & Amorces Manufacturers Association, Selvaraj, said, “They haven’t totally banned fireworks – which is a good thing. Another thing is that people are allowed to burst crackers for just two hours. Taking the consumer’s point of view, I feel most families can finish bursting their crackers between this allotted time. What the court wants is for people to reduce the consumption of fireworks.”
He also spoke about a vital chemical, Berium nitrate, an important ingredient for fireworks like sparklers, flowerpots, chakras that are among the high-selling products. “It is a chemical we use majorly. In the court judgement, the usage of this chemical has been banned. Now the fireworks manufacturers would need at least two to three months to find an alternative chemical to replace Berium nitrate. No matter what chemicals we use, we make sure that they have certain characteristics. Only when they get approval, they can be manufactured.”
He also spoke about green crackers. “These crackers have low emission.The court wants that we use crackers that have low emissions and affect the human body less. We are still researching on this.”
The TN fireworks association has collaborated with CSIR in Nagpur are conducting research on green crackers. “Once the study is submitted, we can immediately ask for approval and start production,” he said.
“For this year’s Deepavali, selling crackers to Delhi and other surrounding regions will be a bit difficult because we haven’t made any green crackers and it can’t be made immediately. That’s the only drawback for us,” he pointed out.
He said if new chemicals are used, the possibility of losing staff may happen. “Currently the cost to manufacture fireworks is less but once alternative chemicals are used, the cost may increase. To use a chemical, it costs about Rs 60 a kg but if other chemicals are used, the cost may vary. Eventually, the cost of products may also increase. Even the consumer’s choice may differ. So, for this reason, the business may affect us.”