Ban in NCR

Industrialists lamented that the regulation on firecracker sale in Delhi NCR was a dampener. Earlier this month, the Supreme Court lifted a November 2016 ban on selling crackers in the NCR, but subsequently put in place regulations to control the sale and use of firecrackers. The court directed the authorities to issue only half the number of temporary licences and those with permanent licences have been asked to cut back on sales.

“The court had banned the sale of fireworks in this region citing pollution. The ban has been lifted now, but we are told that only the existing stock at this region can be sold and we cannot send any fresh stocks,” Mr. Asaithambi said. For Kaliswari fireworks, the NCR is the biggest market. “Every manufacturer here has a pocket where they own a big market share. For us NCR is the market,” Mr. Selvaraj said. “Some 20% of the total sales during Deepavali happens in the NCR,” Mr. Mariappan added.

Judging by Dussehra

Traders in Chennai are also evaluating the market sentiments before placing their orders this festive season. Ramanathan, a trader in Chennai, said: “People are cautious about buying products post GST. Be it food or any other commodity – they are cutting down on their expenses. We need to see if or how demand picks up this Dussehra,” he said. If the Dussehra sale is good, then Deepavali demand will be good, he explained.

For their part, manufacturers have indicated that there will not be a price hike this year. “Any further hike would burn the consumers’ pockets and they will absolutely stay away from buying crackers. We want people to buy and celebrate with fireworks,” Mr. Asaithambi said.

Some of the industrialists in Sivakasi are still continuing with manufacturing to meet eleventh hour demands.

Explosives Rules 2008, Rule 15

“Marking on fireworks: In case of fireworks, explosive composition, quantity of such composition, whether sound emitting crackers or colour or light emitting crackers, sound level, a caution or warning indicating the name of the item, manufacturer’s name, method of firing, precautions to be taken both in words and pictorial view shall be printed on each piece of fireworks and cardboard box and where adequate space is not available on the fireworks, such caution or warning shall be printed on a separate label and inserted in the smallest packet or carton.”