MillenniumPost
Delhi

Traders in hurry to exhaust stock of Chinese crackers

As the Delhi government has enforced a ban on Chinese crackers, traders in the city are now trying to sell off their inventory of foreign-made crackers at the earliest. 

Wholesale traders are busy clearing the stock and earn profits before the government agencies start the inspection drive.  

According to a senior government official, normally traders obtain the licence 15 days before the festival, but this time, they have sought it 29 days before Diwali.  

In a bid to clear the stock at the earliest, the Chinese cracker traders here are offering huge discounts to buyers and using various methods to label Chinese crackers with ‘Made In India’ marks to dispose it off quicklu. Firecracker traders here have a huge inventory of Chinese stock, which they had procured in advance because of their popularity among customers. 

A trader, requesting of anonymity, told Millennium Post, “There is a huge profit involved in this business as Chinese crackers are in demand for their loud noise and fancy illumination.” 

He added that retailers sell Chinese crackers at four to five times their cost. “There is, however, a huge investment involved in getting the space for shops. We have to spend Rs 1-4 lakh,” he added.

 A senior official from Tamil Nadu Fireworks Manufacturers Association in Sivakasi said, “From its appearance, there is no difference between Indian and Chinese crackers, but Chinese firecrackers use more damaging material.”

According to traders in Chandani Chowk, most Chinese crackers come from Sivakasi in Tamil Nadu, where it is procured by distributors mostly located in Palwal (Haryana) and Loni (Uttar Pradesh).

Besides the usage of Potassium Chlorate, which can harm the skin, eyes and internal organs, Chinese crackers also generate much greater noise than the prescribed limits. 

Polash Mukherjee of the Centre for Science and Environment said, “Not only Chinese crackers, but even the Indian ones exceed the prescribed limit of usage of heavy metals such as cobalt, magnesium and copper, which are considered harmful for health.”

Mukherjee added, “The Petroleum Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO) has set the maximum sound limit at 125 decibels, but even the Indian firecrackers do not meet the standards.” 
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