Firecracker manufacturers protest in Ghaziabad over SC order

Manufacturers and retailers of firecrackers in Ghaziabad on Monday protested against the Supreme Court decision to ban sale of crackers in Delhi and National Capital Region this Diwali and said the livelihood of lakhs of people were at stake.

The protest was organised in Farukh Nagar locality, a hub for manufacturing firecrackers in Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh.

Firecrackers Association President Rahim Pradhan said over two crore persons were engaged in the manufacture and sale of firecrackers and their livelihood was at risk, adding that the court was not listening to their problems.

"Our children will be forced to beg in the streets," Pradhan said.

"We went to district headquarters where officers told us that our licences cannot be renewed since the Supreme Court has banned sale of firecrackers. Earlier, there were 37 manufacturing licences issued in the city, which were terminated after the apex court judgement in the past. As many as 138 retail licences were to be renewed, but officials refused to do the same in view of Monday's judgement," he said.

The Supreme Court on Monday restored its November 2016 order to ban the sale and stocking of firecrackers in Delhi and the National Capital Region this Diwali.

Earlier, the apex court had granted permission for sale of firecrackers to exhaust 50 per cent of the stocks during this Diwali.

--IANS

sps/tsb/dg