Mangaluru: With chief minister B S Yediyurappa appealing to people to use green crackers for Diwali, firework distributors have claimed that all the crackers that they sell are green. Wholesale and retail dealers in the city said that manufacturers in Sivakasi were making only green crackers as per the Supreme Court’s 2018 direction.
Dileep Bhandarkar, partner, B Ganapathi Bhandarkar & Sons, a leading wholesale and retail cracker dealer, said, “In 2018, the Supreme Court of India directed that manufacturers in Sivakasi will be getting licences only if they manufacture green crackers. The manufacturers then started making and selling green crackers, which have less chemicals. Hence, the new direction of the government regarding green crackers has little impact on our business. However, we are looking forward to seeing the detailed government order in this regard,” he said, adding that due to the Covid-19 pandemic, they have not procured crackers in large quantities.
Green crackers are said to be less harmful as compared to conventional firecrackers. Mohammed of Asian Crackers, a wholesale dealer, said that their shop has sufficient stock of green crackers.
The Dakshina Kannada district administration, that banned the use of crackers during festivals in the first week of October, is now waiting for a fresh SOP on the use of green crackers from the state government for Diwali. In fact, there is no clarity as to what types of crackers come under the green category.
Deputy commissioner K V Rajendra told TOI that the district administration will take a decision based on the directions of the government.
“In fact, I had banned the stocking, sale and use of fireworks during Dasara and Diwali. I had pre-empted it, but it has become an issue of economic interest. Traders have started pouring in their woes, that they have invested money to procure crackers by availing loans. The chief minister has issued an order related to green crackers. However, we do not know how much we are geared up to adhere to the use of green crackers and pollution norms. There is a state executive committee under the National Disaster Management Authority headed by the chief secretary. We are expecting an SOP from that committee, and a revised order will be issued based on it,” the DC said.