Diwali cracker sale takes a hit thanks to 'eco-aware' public

The trend of celebrating green and cracker-free Diwali is taking a toll on cracker traders who were hoping to do good business this Diwali.

This depreciation in sale of crackers also is credited to the many 'anti-cracker' campaigns in educational institutions.

Sale of firecrackers in Sadar Bazaar, which is a wholesale market located in Old Delhi area, witnessed a visible decline.

Surprisingly, the ban on Chinese crackers has also contributed to low sales this year as people find India made crackers costlier.

"We have bought less firecrackers this time, as a buying firecrackers is like burning your own money and it also causes lots of pollution as well," said a Dilshad Garden resident who came to shop for crackers.

"We are only buying Indian made firecrackers only and pollution is also very important factor as it affects kids and animals," a firecrackers buyer Manish Chopra said.

Shopkeeper claim, that less sale of firecrackers this Diwali is due to the occurrence of four festivals in same month which puts a burden on salaried employees.

"The sale of firecrackers have dropped, Diwali is in end of the month. So it makes four festivals in one month so it becomes a burden for a salaried employee," Rajiv Gupta, a wholesaler said.

"Sale declined up to 35 percent and depreciation has been witnessed in the demand of high decibel crackers," a shopkeeper said.

Awareness among the masses regarding pollution and money management has been recognized as an appreciable effort to reduce the environmental pollution.

An Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham) survey across major cities reported poor business owing to anti-cracker campaigns run by schools, resident welfare associations (RWAs) and others.