Government digs out old rule to ban China crackers

NEW DELHI: Ahead of Dwali, the government has reiterated an old rule to discourage the use of Chinese fireworks.

The possession and sale of fireworks of foreign origin are illegal and punishable under law, the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) reiterated on Monday. Diwali falls on October 23.

In recent years, large quantities of cheap Chinese fireworks have been smuggled into the country.

Apart from being a safety hazard, they have severely dented the domestic industry. Various lobbies have told the government that the smuggled fireworks contain hazardous potassium chlorate, which can ignite spontaneously.

An Assocham study two years ago suggested that Indian units lose about Rs 1,800 crore to Chinese fireworks.

The Tamil Nadu Fireworks and Amerces Manufacturers’ Association (TANFAMA) has told the government that “illegal fireworks of foreign origin have penetrated into our country in large quantities and they are likely to be sold through retail outlets extensively during coming Diwali season,” said the release. The manufacture, possession, use and sale of any explosive containing sulphur or sulphurate along with any chlorate has banned since 1992.

The ministry of home affairs had written to all state governments in October last year highlighting the danger of smuggled Chinese fireworks containing potassium chlorate and the need to deal strictly with persons found in possession of such material. The Indian fireworks industry, though highly unorganised, is estimated to employ about 3 lakh people across the country.

While the fireworks business is growing around 10% annually, according to newspaper reports, manufacturers say their margins are getting squeezed due to the cheap Chinese crackers.