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Sivakasi firework units see sluggish Diwali sale as case pending in Supreme Court

The sales have been hit because of uncertainty looming over a case in the Supreme Court seeking a nationwide ban on manufacture, sale and possession of firecrackers to curb air pollution

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For the second year in a row, the fireworks manufacturing units in Tamil Nadu's Sivakasi, which supplies 90 per cent of country's firecrackers, has been witnessing low sales for despite Diwali being round the corner. The sale shave been sit due to uncertainty looming over an ongoing case in the Supreme Court seeking a nationwide ban on manufacture, sale and possession of firecrackers to curb air pollution.

With the apex court reserving its order on the case, the fireworks units are anxiously waiting for the final verdict as it would decide the future of the industry whose production has come down by 50 per cent.

Last year, the Supreme Court had banned the sale of firecrackers in the National Capital Region (NCR) causing huge losses.

Usually, fireworks manufactures start receiving orders from dealers across the country for the Diwali by July-August. "In view of the SC case, the wholesalers are reluctant to place bulk orders for the festive season. We can expect bulk orders only after the verdict," PCA Asaithambi, President, Tamil Nadu Fireworks and Amorces Manufacturers' Association (Tanfama), told DNA. He said that the SC had ruled out imposing a nationwide ban on firecrackers during the course of the hearing itself.

K Mariappan, General Secretary, Tanfama, said that with uncertainty over the SC verdict, firework production has reduced to 50 per cent of the total capacity as most of the manufacturers have huge unsold stock from last year. The Delhi-NCR market accounts for about 30 per cent of the total fireworks sale, and North India for about 80 per cent.

Reduced production of fire crackers means the workers would get less work and pay, he said. "The workers are paid on per piece basis. If a worker was paid Rs 400 for producing 500 pieces a day, now would be allowed to produce only half the quantity," he said.

As many as 1,070 fireworks factories located in Sivakasi in Virudhunagar district, provides direct employment to three lakh people and indirect employment to another five lakh.

ONGOING CASE

The sales have been hit because of uncertainty looming over a case in the Supreme Court seeking a nationwide ban on manufacture, sale and possession of firecrackers to curb air pollution.

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