The Menace Of Illegal Firecracker Units In Bengal
Linus tackles things head-on. He takes sides in his analysis and it fits excellently with our editorial policy. No 'maybe's' and 'allegedly' for him, only things in black and white.
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By Linus Garg
First publised on 2023-08-30 06:23:36
About the Author
Linus tackles things head-on. He takes sides in his analysis and it fits excellently with our editorial policy. No 'maybe's' and 'allegedly' for him, only things in black and white.
View all posts by this Author
The blast at an 'illegal' firecracker factory in Duttapukur in Bengal's Barasat once again proved that such illegal and dangerous units have come up all over the state, especially in North & South 24 Parganas districts bordering Kolkata and Midnapore. Most of these units are located in densely populated areas and in residential buildings. Hence, in the Duttapukur blast, as many as 16 buildings were badly damaged, nine persons lost their lives and several others were badly injured. The intensity of the blast can be gauged from the fact that strong walls in surrounding buildings came down and bodies were dismembered and flung up to five hundred metres.
Speaking later, chief minister Mamata Banerjee said some policemen were not doing their duty and allowing these illegal units to flourish. While that may be true, what is also true is that only police support is not enough - political backing is also necessary for such large scale (Bengal is reputed to have more than 30000 big and small firecrackers units, most of them operating illegally) operations. The administration has started cracking the whip - 20000 such units have been forced to shut down and two cops have been suspended. This is welcome, but the government will do well to also probe the political backing these units have been receiving. It must also probe whether under the garb of manufacturing firecrackers, these units were also making crude bombs for criminal gangs.
The firecracker business is Bengal is flourishing and yields enormous returns. The profit margins are more than healthy as the mainly illegal units manufacture all banned products without having a concern about norms. Hence, their finshed products are sub-standard and often explode, leading to injuries for those using them. This is the right time for the Bengal government to go after these illegal units and shut them down. It is also the right time to, as chief minister Mamata Banerjee said, impress upon the legal units to manufacture green firecrackers and adhere to safety norms, both in the working conditions, storage and use of explosive chemicals in the factories as also in ensuring that finished products as safe to use. The government must also ensure that these units are not located in residential areas.
