This year, Diwali celebrations started much earlier in the fireworks hub Sivakasi, thanks to a Supreme Court verdict that allowed bursting of green crackers for four days in Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR) for the festival of lights.
“It is a joyous moment for the industry,” says P. Ganesan, president, Tamil Nadu Fireworks and Amorous Manufacturers Association (TANFAMA). All major associations of manufacturers have welcomed the October 15 decision, saying it means more sales for manufacturers.
The decision comes in the backdrop of Sivakasi’s fireworks industry battling legal troubles for years over allegations of polluting the air in Delhi-NCR due to emissions from fireworks during winter. President of Sivakasi Fireworks Manufacturers Association (SIFMA) A. “The industry will not get any immediate benefits this Diwali as the court order comes very close to the festival. But it has given us hope for future business,” says Asaithambi.
In keeping with the times: New products also include tanks. This will send out three jets of shower that will emit different lights. One of them will produce a splash with a crackling sound. Finally the tank will fire six times in the air. , Photo courtesy: G. statue
Manufacturers say that about 13% of the firecrackers manufactured in the country are consumed in Delhi-NCR. He says that with the opening of this market, the sales of manufacturers will increase and the livelihood of 8 lakh workers in the dry areas of Virudhunagar district will increase. “This gives us a new ray of hope; we can address other important issues facing the industry by presenting facts with scientific support before the Supreme Court,” said TANFAMA Vice President G. Abiruben says. He was referring to the ban on the use of barium nitrate in composite crackers and fireworks manufacturing.
test time
The industry, which was under question for years due to employing child labour, managed to overcome this image. But the issue of air pollution in Delhi-NCR seems to be giving a blow to the industry, whose annual turnover is Rs 6,000 crore. The ban on bursting of firecrackers, except green crackers, in Delhi-NCR in 2018 was considered a major setback. This shook the industry as the threat of a ban on firecrackers was looming in many other states during Diwali. Green crackers arrived during the Diwali season in 2019. But, in subsequent years, bursting of any firecrackers was banned in Delhi for Diwali 2020 due to complaints of not following the green cracker formula. This ban continued for the next three years. Things turned worse for the industry when the Delhi government banned all types of firecrackers in the national capital for the entire year.
The Supreme Court’s complete ban on the manufacture of composite crackers and the use of barium nitrate had badly affected the industry as both were key elements of the century-old industry’s portfolio. Jointed crackers, known by names such as 1,000-vala and 10,000-vala, used to be the most popular product. No celebration would be complete without bursting a garland of firecrackers. A large section of the trained workers were completely dependent on producing this variety for their livelihood. Joint firecrackers are also in great demand throughout the year.
Meanwhile, barium nitrate was the most sought-after chemical used by industry due to its reliability. “It is a highly reliable chemical used as an oxidising agent, and most importantly, it is an easily available indigenous raw material. No light emitting fireworks can be made without this chemical,” says Mr Ganesan of TANFAMA. However, this argument did not agree with the Supreme Court. The main issue of the hearing was the ever-increasing adverse impact of air pollution on human health in Delhi-NCR during winters over the past few years.
Sparkling Pitch: The guitar is made of a cardboard box with a flower pot inside. The emu will release smoke with a whistling sound. Then, a balloon attached to the bird will be released to simulate the emu laying eggs. , Photo courtesy: G. statue
The Central Government, through the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI), a public sector unit, found a solution to air pollution caused by fireworks, with the development of green crackers. However, even the claim that green crackers reduce air pollution by 30% could not persuade the Supreme Court to lift the ban. The industry believes that dust from the construction industry, emissions from thermal power plants and automobiles and stubble burning in Punjab and Haryana are the main reasons for poor air quality in NCR, but blamed fireworks. “Though firecrackers were burst only for a few hours and a few days during Diwali, they became the main target,” says Mr Abiruben.
supported by studies
He claims that all studies of air quality index in Delhi-NCR in the last few years had supported the resumption of fireworks. “Our argument that emissions from firecrackers do not remain in the air for more than 24 hours has now been proven correct.”
He says that a study conducted by a leading central scientific institute has proved that the use of barium nitrate in fireworks will not pollute the environment. “Soon, we will present this report with all the data before the Supreme Court along with the petition to lift the ban,” says Mr Asaithambi.
“When the issue of noise pollution was raised against combined firecrackers, our industry sponsored a study by the Defense Institute of Physiology and Allied Sciences (DIPAS) under DRDO in 1996-98. The Central Pollution Control Board also appointed the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) under CSIR to conduct a study,” he explains. Based on these studies, a formula for the decibel level of each firecracker in linked firecrackers was prepared and incorporated in the Environment (Protection) Rules, 1986 through an amendment in 1999. “These standards, including added firecrackers, were upheld by the Supreme Court in 2005,” he said. Subsequently, the explosives rules were also amended to include noise standards. He further said, “The issue of joint crackers was resolved two decades ago. Now, we need to draw the attention of the Supreme Court towards this to get a favorable judgment.”
T. Kannan, general secretary, Indian Fireworks Manufacturers Association, says a study is underway to further reduce emissions from green crackers. TANFAMA states that the Indian fireworks industry has the “cleanest” crackers in the world as green crackers. Unlike the automobile industry, which was given ample time to perfect its technology based on India emission standards, the fireworks industry received no time to find an alternative to barium nitrate. “However, the industry has responded positively to environmental issues and adopted green crackers approved by NEERI and the Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation. We now see light at the end of the tunnel,” he says.
Lighting up the festival: Another popular product is peacock. A board with a picture of a peacock will scatter multicolored lights in five directions, reminding people of the colorful feathers of a dancing peacock. , Photo courtesy: G. statue
New products keep buyers engaged
This year too, Sivakasi firecracker industry has brought new products to attract buyers. “The innovation is just in the presence of fireworks to attract people, especially children,” says M. Hariharsudan, a firecracker trader from Sivakasi.
There is a new product in his shop that may attract children’s attention: a battle tank with nine functions. Covered in olive green color, the tank is made of cardboard. When lit, it will send out three streams of shower that will emit different lights. “One of them will produce a splash with a loud sound,” he adds. “After all of the showers have fired jet lights, the tank will fire six times into the air.” He further said, this is an honor for the Indian Army.
‘Velam, Mayilam’
Another popular product is peacock. A board with a picture of a peacock will scatter multicolored lights in five directions, reminding people of the colorful feathers of a dancing peacock. A similar shower comes from the golden well, the divine weapon of Lord Murugan. Another novelty is a guitar made of cardboard with a huge vase inside.
Mr. Hariharsudan says, “The emu has become a big hit this year. When crackers are lit, smoke will come out along with a whistling sound. Later, a balloon attached to the bird will burst, resembling an emu laying an egg.” And the money bank bursts and spits out replica currency notes.
Another fancy product is the cricket bat-ball pair. A foot spar is an improved version of the traditional ‘pencil’ shower. The ball will release smoke when it burns. Gas cylinder cracker also works like a cricket ball. The cylinder will release smoke and then explode, spewing confetti. However, children cannot play with bat and ball together because the bat can be used at night and the ball can be used during the day.
