Survival in question, Sivakasi pins all hopes on Diwali

Diwali is just two months away, but the usual enthusiasm witnessed among fireworks’ manufacturers and labourers in the months leading to the festival are absent this time.

With a huge pile of last year’s stock still lying with dealers, a majority of the manufacturers have scaled-down production by around 50 per cent this year translating into reduced working days for lakhs of labourers who are dependent on the multi-crore industry, which could well be staring at an existential crisis.

The stakeholders – manufacturers, labourers, dealers, and allied industries – have just one prayer on their lips. Covid-19 cases should not spike in October leading to a lockdown and state governments should not impose a ban on the bursting of crackers during Diwali, falling on November 4.