Playing with fire for a livelihood

CHENNAI: As many as 14 workers, including 11 women were killed in two mishaps at private fireworks factories in Virudhunagar district recently.

The incident, one of the worst fireworks tragedies in recent times, does little to disguise the fact that such episodes are par for the course in India’s cracker capital Sivakasi.

Recall that in July this year, a blast in a firecrackers factory in Krishnagiri had claimed eight lives. Again, the pathetic State of compliance towards industrial safety in Tamil Nadu comes to the fore.

In one of the recent accidents, all the victims were making firecrackers in a shed that had been set up illegally behind a firecracker shop, which happened to be the first one to catch fire and had exploded.

Workers at the shop had attempted to test the finished firecrackers when sparks fell on the products inside the shop, which set off a chain reaction of explosions. Inquiries confirmed that people were hired to manufacture crackers illegally in the sheds in the vicinity of the shop.

While Chief Minister Stalin has announced a solatium for the deceased, other political leaders have called for a safety audit of all firecracker manufacturing units in the state.

In the aftermath of the accident, checks and searches were carried out by the police in different parts of Ariyalur district.

As a result, five firecracker-making units as well as 25 stockists with a permanent licence to sell their products, based out of Ariyalur were found to be in violation of their licence.

The surprise raids had revealed that five factories were in violation of the most fundamental safety norms, for which recommendations had been sent to the Collector to cancel their licences.

Also, among the 25 dealers, many were functioning in thickly populated areas, and some even in residential areas. Per industrial safety experts, there is a checklist of norms to be considered for the manufacturing, storage, and sale of fireworks.

A pain point in the industry is that most workers are unskilled. The so-called training offered to them in the appropriate handling of explosive chemicals is next to non-existent.

Even simple guidelines such as refraining from storing unfinished chemical mixes in manufacturing units could go a long way in ensuring safety on the factory floor.

One also has to consider norms pertaining to the room capacity, requisite ventilation, facilities for dissipation of heat, as well as exits that are to be part and parcel of fireworks units.

In many cases, such norms only serve as lip service as top bosses in the unorganised industry have scant regard for the life of those employed in it.

Having said that, a panel headed by a former judge of the Punjab and Haryana, and Madras High Courts, had recommended that the Explosives Act be amended so that punishments are more stringent than now.

The Committee also sought employing only certified persons for operations, including mixing, filling of chemicals, and making of colour pellets, and using drones for surveillance of various units.

Ironically, the owners of many such units are reeling from the business losses due to the introduction of green crackers. It’s anybody’s guess as to how willing they might be to invest additionally to adhere to safety norms in what is viewed as a cottage industry in India.