There have been successive losses and fall in sales over the past three years, and the prospects this year are similar.
Chennai: Covid-19 is least on the minds of the lakhs of workers of the firecracker industry of Sivakasi in Virudhunagar district in deep southern Tamil Nadu at a time when their very livelihood is at stake. With successive losses and fall in sales over the past three years, and similar prospects this year, firecracker manufacturers and workers in the Tamil Nadu town stare at near certain death of the country’s firecracker industry.
The continued ban of sale of firecrackers for Diwali, imposed since the past three years, has left several manufacturers and dealers with huge quantities of unsold inventories. Fresh orders have dried up as most cities and towns have ban orders coming up. Delhi and NCR have already issued ban orders on sale of firecrackers, and Sivakasi manufacturers’ are sure this year is a wash out too, like the previous ones. “If there is a third Covid wave, as anticipated by some, then this Deepavali is also over for us. And if it continues like this for another two years or so, I am afraid Sivakasi will die a painful death,” lamented P.C.A. Asaithambi, former president of Sivakasi Fireworks Manufacturers’ Association. “To save Sivakasi, the government ought to allow bursting of firecrackers as they do not strictly fall under polluting objects as per the definition contained in the provisions of the Environment Act,” he said.
“Repeated pleas to the central and state governments have failed to resolve the crisis faced by us,” Asaithambi said echoing the sentiments of several fellow manufacturers, most of whom are second and third generation firecracker makers. “We used to give a representation to every central government and state government minister we met, many times over the past several years. Except lip service, we did not get much concrete help,” another firecracker manufacturer said.
Sivakasi, the Tamil Nadu town that manufactures firecrackers, has been suffering for the past decade or so since environmental activists put paid to their livelihood through court cases. The tragedy is that no government came to the aid of the firecracker industry to sell domestically, nor did it facilitate Sivakasi to tap the export market, at present ruled by China. China exports firecrackers worth Rs 6,000 crore to Rs 8,000 crore per annum. Sivakasi, which accounts for 90% of Indian firecracker manufacturing, can make a dent in China’s foreign market, if given help.
Stringent export regulations, rules and restrictions are coming in the way of firecrackers exports. “We keep getting inquiries from American and European markets, but are unable to export due to logistical reasons as also stiff regulations that govern the hazardous industry,” complained P. Ganesan, President, Tamil Nadu Fireworks and Amorces Manufacturers Association (TANFAMA). “Export market and marketing can be the practical solutions to address the plight of the Sivakasi firecracker industry. We can easily become the single source of firecrackers to the world,” Ganesan said.
Firecracker exports have come down drastically for two reasons. First, shipping is an issue as most ocean liners are wary of carrying hazardous materials and, secondly, to reach Europe or America, Indian produce has to be shipped to Singapore and from there loaded to different ships and this makes the process cumbersome as also expensive, which is why China has an advantage. At present, one shipment of firecrackers from India is charged 10 times the cost of one shipment of other goods, he said, citing an example. “If the central government works with the Sivakasi firecrackers industry, India can replace China,” he said. “Many members get serious inquiries from overseas. Our green crackers that emit less smoke are attracting more attention,” Ganesan said. A significant success in the export market would mean a fresh lease of life for this small town of Sivakasi, located in Virudhunagar district, that has a hot and dry climate that is just suitable for the firecracker making industry. Home to 1,070 registered firecracker units, Sivakasi and its surroundings also house several unregistered units. Some eight-lakh people are directly and indirectly employed in this industry.