The fireworks industry in Sivakasi, which employs some 800,000 workers, is set to light up again after reaching an advanced stage of compliance with the green cracker norms. However, the industry might take a hit of around Rs 800 crore due to delay in starting production, among other reasons, during the upcoming Diwali.
Business at one of India's largest fireworks hub has been impacted badly the past few years following a Supreme Court ruling making the manufacture of environment-friendly crackers, sparklers and other products mandatory.
However, next year onwards, the Sivakasi industry expects things to fall in place and hopes business will take off, as most manufacturers have met the green cracker norms and are awaiting a final order from the Supreme Court. During the current festive season, however, most of the crackers have already been shipped to various destinations and Sivakasi did not supply much to the NCR, as the Court is yet to accord final approval to the compliance efforts, industry sources said.
"The Supreme Court's clarity on the definition of green crackers in March helped the industry meet the stipulated environmental norms. We lost the first four months of production, and have taken a hit of almost Rs 800 crore out of the total Rs 2,000 crore capacity we have," said P Ganesan, president of Tamil Nadu Fireworks and Amorces Manufacturers Association (TANFAMA) and director of Vinayaga Sonny Fireworks Group, one of the largest fireworks makers in the country.
Stating that most units are now compliant, Ganesan added that his association expects a favourable order from the Supreme Court and hopes business will be much better next year. The Supreme Court is likely to hear the matter before Diwali.
Launching green firecrackers, Union Minister for Science and Technology, Harsh Vardhan said on Saturday that about 530 emission-testing certificates have been issued to manufacturers for new and improved fireworks that meet the stipulated green guidelines. Emission-testing facilities for the new firecrackers have been set up at Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)-National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI). A Raw Materials Compositional Analysis facility has been launched in Sivakasi for manufacturers to test their raw materials and chemicals. Nearly 165 manufacturers have been roped in and around 65 more are expected to join, the Minister said. A green logo and a Quick Response (QR) coding system have been developed to differentiate of green crackers from conventional ones.
Eight labs jointly made improvements to conventional fireworks to meet the stipulated norms, whose implementation is subject to Supreme Court approval. The labs have also developed new products with lower light and sound emission and a 30 per cent cut in particulate matter.
"Factory level trials were conducted. Once we were sure about the 30 per cent reduction in emission, guaranteed shelf life of the product and safety of the process, the industry began following that as a norm, although it is yet to be classified by the Supreme Court. Today what is being manufactured in Sivakasi is as per NEERI standards," said B Abiruben, managing director of Ayyan Fireworks Factory Pvt Ltd. He said that the effect of the fireworks would not be different from the traditional products.
The industry believes that the improved crackers also help reduce particulate matter by 25-30 per cent and hope the Court would approve them. New formulations without barium nitrate are no match in terms of quality, durability and functioning of the existing products, said Ganesan, adding that the Ministry has submitted a favourable view on the improved crackers with the Court. The time restrictions on bursting firecrackers, imposed by the Court last year, continue to be a challenge.
Firework prices may not rise this year due to compliance with green norms. The industry has also started getting enquiries from US, UK, European nations, Middle East and even from Sri Lanka for green crackers.
However, not everybody from the industry shares this enthusiasm. Some manufacturers in Sivakasi questioned the concept of green crackers, calling it a "fabricated drama" of the Ministry and CSIR-NEERI, claiming that a section of the industry is also speaking in favour of green crackers. They argue that Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO), the licensing authority for firecrackers, rejected all of NEERI's 300 formulations except for single sound cracker (bijli). However, the Minister has touted sound-emitting crackers, flowerpots, pencils, chakras and sparklers as being environment-friendly.
Another manufacturer said the industry has taken a 50 per cent in revenue this year due to the green order. "NEERI and CSIR aren't the authorities on fireworks for this industry, PESO is," he said, adding that PESO should have been consulted before passing such orders.
"Everybody including us and the court first thought NEERI would bring a solution in the form of green crackers as it claimed. But what we have now is a high-profile drama. Why wasn't PESO invited for the launch? Because PESO will say that except for Bijli nothing has been approved," said another manufacturer on condition of anonymity.
The formulations should be presented to PESO and approval obtained to become a green cracker, he added.
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