Tamil Nadu: Virudhunagar is the largest center for the manufacture of firecrackers. Most of the firecrackers are manufactured here. But over the years these firecracker manufacturers have been facing several problems, including pandemic and rising air pollution, which has pushed for a ban on firecrackers. However, in December 2020, when communities were already sick with Covid-induced limits on the holding of festivities, a complete ban on blaming air pollution on fireworks in some areas dealt them a death blow.
Indian Fireworks Manufacturers Association (TIFMA) general secretary T Kannan claims that there was a decline of around 25% in firecracker production and sales in 2020, as they are down over 40% this year due to the Covid-19 outbreak. Meanwhile, companies were manufacturing green crackers with a formulation approved by CSIR- (National Environmental Engineering Research Institute of CSIR-NEERI) after the 2018 Supreme Court judgment imposing stricter limits on cracker manufacturing as compared to normal crackers. Reduces emissions by 20-30%.
Change was difficult, but things were going well until 2019, when the pandemic effectively devastated the region. Despite the fact that the limits were abolished this year, restrictions in some states have resulted in many workers unable to find jobs. Federation of Tamil Nadu Fireworks Traders general secretary N Elangovan said traders are wary of getting into this sector as they will lose a lot of money if they are not able to sell the firecrackers bought due to restrictions and covid restrictions.
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