Regulations on crackers bursting impacted business in Rameswaram, claims shopkeepers

The business of firecrackers has dropped significantly in Rameswaram after the restrictions were imposed over bursting of crackers.

As per the shopkeepers, very few buyers are reaching the shops to purchase firecrackers even a day ahead of Diwali.

After the Supreme Court's ruling in 2018, the Tamil Nadu government has fixed time slots for the bursting of crackers during Deepavali. As per the government's directions, residents can burst crackers between 6 am and 7 am and then between 7 pm and 8 pm in the state.

A trader, Sivaraman, who has a firecrackers shop in the town said that new regulations regarding crackers among other problems have impacted their business.

"The coastal island comprises of fishermen community at large since they have various problems with regard to fish catching and others. The government regulations regarding firecracker have resulted in the low sale of firecrackers. This has lead to low sale this year," he told ANI.

According to the new government's directions, people are allowed to use only low decibel crackers and should avoid busting of crackers near hospitals and places of worship.

Another trader Sabarinathan also cited economic slowdown and said that people don't have money which could be preventing them from coming to firecrackers shop.

"It is a very dull Diwali season this year. There is no firecracker buyer coming to shop. The main reason for this season could be less amount of money they have which people have and prevent them from not buying firecrackers," he said.

While hearing a plea regarding a ban of sale and manufacture of firecrackers in 2018, the Supreme Court banned the conventional crackers on pollution grounds. However, the apex court's verdict allowed the sale and use of firecrackers with conditions.

The court had ruled that only lesser pollution-causing green crackers would only be permitted to be manufactured and bursting. After this, the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSRI) launched green crackers which contain 30 per cent less particulate matter.

The apex court had ruled that people will only be allowed to burst crackers between 8 pm and 10 pm on Diwali. The Tamil Nadu government, however, requested to burst crackers in the state on account of the tradition of celebrating Deepavali early in the morning. Later, the court left for the state to decide timings but maintained that it should not exceed two hours a day during the festival.

Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar has also urged people to use only green firecrackers during Diwali.

He had launched eco-friendly green firecrackers and informed that a green logo as well as a Quick Response (QR) coding system has been developed for differentiation of green crackers from conventional crackers.

Diwali, also known as Deepawali, is one of the most widely celebrated festivals in India.

The festival will be celebrated on October 27 this year. On this day, people decorate their houses with traditional lamps, burst firecrackers and exchange sweets.