Vridunagar: The death of at least 19 persons, including a pregnant woman and a college student, and injuries of more than 30 workers in an explosion at a firecracker unit at Achankulam village in Virudhunagar district two days ago shocked people across the nation.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi, Chief Minister Edappadi K Palanisami and other leaders expressed their condolence to the grieving families.
Many deadly accidents took place in these units for decades. In 2012, an explosion at the Om Sakthi Fireworks Industries, fireworks factory killed 40 workers and more than 70 others sustained burn injuries.
Sivakasi and neighboring areas houses 1070 firecracker manufacturing units and more than 3 lakh workers depended directly on the units and 5 lakh others depended on allied works. Prior to Covid lockdown, the companies used to register a sale of Rs 2000 crore every year.
After obtaining permission for firecracker unit, the owners, if they do not have sufficient resources, resort to sub-letting the rooms and sheds in the unit to many persons on lease.
On several occasions, the owners sub-let single unit, having multiple rooms, to many persons on a contract basis. The persons who have taken the unit on contract basis appoint many workers flouting the norms. Often many workers crowded in small space and made the firecracker by mixing ingredients in the wrong proportion against norms.
The less experienced workers were forced to use the wrong proportions for longer periods and many used banned raw materials for making the firecrackers. All these factors leads to blasts in the firecracker units.
The government must consider these issues seriously and ensure that the units follow the norms and monitor the functioning of the units to prevent such disaster in the future.
Over the years, Sivakasi witnessed several mishaps killing a number of workers injuring hundreds. The recent explosion took place at the Nagpur-licensed Sree Mariyammal Fireworks factory, a unit with around 60 rooms. The explosion occurred while workers were mixing certain chemicals to produce fireworks.
Inspector of factories, controller of explosives, Tamil Nadu pollution control board, transport authorities, local authorities, police and revenue authorities are engaged in monitoring the units.
In spite of strict regulation, accidents occur in these units causing damages to life, property and environment. Mishaps can be averted if these units strictly follow government norms. Before mixing the raw materials of the firecrackers must be kept in open space for dry before 10 am. It would cause an explosion if the raw material kept in open space after 10 am as the atmosphere gets heated up.
The raw materials include saltpetre, potassium nitrate and barium nitrate. After the Supreme Court order on firecrackers, the units were making the eco-friendly firecrackers with low emissions, toxins and decibel levels.
Workers must commence the preparation work without hurry and it must not be done in a congested place.
The units must make only the permitted quantity of crackers. Any violation will result in an explosion. Production must follow certain procedures and each procedure must be done in separate rooms/place.
The Supreme Court banned the use of five harmful heavy metals - lithium, antimony, mercury, arsenic and lead in the manufacturing of firecrackers since it can cause air and noise pollution. Hence, the units shall not be allowed to use these metals while making the crackers.
The buildings in the units must be constructed by following the norms of the authorities. The units cannot be housed in tin sheets and thatched huts or roofs.
During the rainy season, lightning may occur. The units must have facilities to prevent mishap from lightning. The workers must not be allowed to make the firecrackers in open space. Skilled and trained workers must be employed in the units. The units must not engage a large number of workers and children.
Cigarette smoking must be strictly banned in the area. Electrical fittings must be monitored frequently to avoid sparks and short circuit. The workers must not be allowed to store a huge amount of raw materials. The authorities must cancel licenses if the units violate the norms.
Also read: Deep insight into firecracker factory explosions in India
