Kannur (Kerala): Residents of Kerala's Malabar region cannot imagine celebrating the festival of Vishu without bursting firecrackers. North Malabar wakes up to the sound of firecrackers in early April itself.
Last year onwards Vishu festival, which faded during the Covid pandemic period, regained its grandeur. The celebrations are being held with much enthusiasm and joy from Kozhikode to Kasaragod districts. A significant role is played by the firecrackers and the firecracker companies devise their own ways to utilise this opportunity.
Taking advantage of the rising demand, some firecracker companies in Sivakasi have started accepting orders online and are delivering firecrackers in trucks and parcel services, violating all safety measures and precautions. This has thus created a serious security threat in north Kerala.
Existing laws prohibit transportation of firecrackers in passenger vehicles including trains and buses. However, flouting all norms, firecrackers are reaching Kerala from other states through online orders even via tourist buses.
Fireworks Dealers Association has alleged that some firecracker companies are using tourist buses to send their parcels. A racket of illegal firecracker trade is operating in Malabar region. The companies are sending firecrackers to various areas through public modes of transportation.
"As it is election season, government authorities are struggling hard to curb all illegal trades. It has been noted that firecrackers are arriving from other states through trucks and other vehicles by flouting rules. This practice poses a serious threat to security", Kannur district secretary of Fireworks Dealers Association S. Anandakrishnan said.
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