S 24-Pgns: Scientists to train 100 labourers in making green crackers

KOLKATA: The labourers associated with the manufacturing of firecrackers across the state, who have been struggling to meet environmental standards in producing green bazi (crackers), will participate in a two-day training workshop organised by NEERI ( National Environmental Engineering Research Institute) at Maheshtala in South 24-Parganas from Monday. This is for the time in Bengal when scientists from NEERI will impart hands on training to some 100 odd labourers associated with the manufacturing process. They will be coming from different parts of South 24 Parganas like Nangi, Putkhali, Champahati, and other districts like North 24 Parganas, Hooghly, Nadia , East Midnapore etc.

"The main aim of the workshop is to apprise the manufacturers of the right chemical and their composition that should be used for manufacturing of green crackers that causes minimum pollution,"Sukdev Naskar, spokesperson of the Pradesh Atasbazi Byabsayee Samiti said. Sadhana Rayalu, Chief Scientist from NEERI will lead the team of scientists, who will be offering training in the workshop.

Recently, there has been litigation about the use of barium nitrate in manufacturing crackers like Fuljhuri, Rangmashal , tubri etc . However, the manufacturers are not aware of any alternative to barium nitrate, so the training assumes utmost importance.

Tonsinium nitrate which is used in manufacturing of some firecrackers is extremely expensive but it has been found that crackers get damp after a year. So an alternative is badly required. Earlier, the manufacturers have attended a theoretical workshop hosted by NEERI.