Cracker traders opt for sops, home deliveries to sell out stock

Soon after the ban over selling of fire crackers in Delhi-NCR, people are now finding ways to arrange for the crackers through various sources. 

This wedding season will surely hit planning of those who try to add an extra glory to their marriage celebrations through lighting crackers. This added glory vandalises the environment and creates adverse benchmarks on the  pollution levels. Even the firecracker traders of Delhi-NCR are now opting illicit ways to somehow sell their banned stocks of crackers.

After demonetisation, the cracker ban left the business of cracker traders in 22 districts of Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh suspended till further next orders. The festival plus the wedding season benefit them with the sale of worth crores but this season will blow a deserted breeze into their trade. A local fire crackers manufacturer from Farrukhnagar, Ghaziabad said: “We have been in the business from generations. Usually the wedding season gives us a sale around Rs 2 to 3 lakh but suddenly shutting the operations will surely affect our livelihood.”

Some local traders of Noida are now opting illicit ways to somehow overcome the sudden collapse. They are giving heavy discounts and home delivery services to the customers. Even after shutting down their shops, some traders are offering the delivery of crackers at the door step. On talking over phone with a trader from Noida as a customer he said: “We get crackers from Jama Masjid and Kondli areas of Delhi. Whatever may be the order, we can get it delivered to your home.”

“As business cannot be done openly these days after the ban, we can get some samples of fancy crackers at your home and can get the order delivered at your doorstep,” another trader offered.

A number of traders dwell in the kondli area nearby the Delhi-Noida border which attracts many local traders from Noida. Besides Diwali, when the license to sell the crackers are issued for a temporary period of 3-4 days, the leftovers are used to meet the large demands during the wedding season. Visiting the Kondli area after the ban, Millennium Post found a mixed reaction from the market. 

Some shops were closed while some were found fearlessly selling crackers. The still opened shops were easily found making good money, violating the court’s orders. 

Even demonetisation is making no effect on their business as they are accepting card payments for the crackers purchased. Emphasising on the ban this reporter asked a shop owner as to why they are still selling the crackers. He replied: “We didn’t get any written notice yet and so we won’t shut down our business giving the reference of their daily livelihood.” 

A customer who bought crackers worth Rs 2,850 argued that “the government’s ban is on the selling of fireworks not bursting. We have a marriage in our family and for that we need crackers to make the function grand and showy.”