Virudhunagar: Two brothers, driven by the drought and desperation in Sivakasi, travelled to Kolkata in 1922 to find jobs in the matchstick industry which was thriving under Japanese collaboration. Shanmuga Nadar and Ayya Nadar would go on to become the pioneers of Sivakasi fireworks industry when they returned home six years later to start their own matchstick company. With abundant labour and a dry climate, the industry here continued to expand in terms of area and products, until Sivakasi - which accounts for 90 per cent of the fireworks manufactured in the country - came to be called ‘Little Japan’.  

But today the livelihoods of over eight lakh people who depend on the industry is facing the onslaught of tightening environmental regulations. In October last year, the Supreme Court in its judgement on the Arjun Gopal petition (famously filed by fathers on behalf of three infants) stated that only “green crackers”, which adhere to certain noise and air pollution standards, should be sold and the cracker manufacturing units should adhere to the new norms. It also said that Barium - a critical raw material to make firecrackers - should not be used and State and Central pollution control boards should ensure the new norms are not flouted.  Furthermore, the SC gave permission to burn crackers only for two hours during Diwali day and the Tamil Nadu government allowed people to burn crackers from morning 6 to 7 and evening 7 to 8.

The problem is Sivakasi’s cracker units, mostly small scale, do not know how, and are not technically equipped, make the green crackers, which were still under development by the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute at the time of the judgement. In fact, Sivakasi’s cracker makers were hearing of green crackers for the first time and were baffled by the concept. They have no clue on how to procure them, the costs, and how to mix them.

For decades, the basic raw material in crackers was Barium Nitrate, which the SC has now banned. Kasiyammal said, “Sivakasi will become a barren land without Green Salt (Barium),” said Kasiyammal, a laid-off cracker unit worker. Cracker workers association secretary Jothimani said Sivakasi’s manufacturer do not have the technology to produce crackers without Barium. “Like Jallikattu, the ban on the use of Barium should be withdrawn,” he said.

But things have started looking up for the industry. In April this year, the Supreme Court has directed the Centre to approve the chemical composition of green crackers by May 15. It noted that the manufacturing of green crackers in the country must begin as soon as possible after the Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organization (PESO) approves the green cracker formulation and submit its report to the Centre to grant approval.

Just a month earlier, the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and NEERI - which were entrusted with the task by the court to formulate the chemical composition of green crackers - told the apex court that trial samples have been developed and tested. Meanwhile, the SC granting permission to display fireworks for the popular Thrissur Pooram festival in Kerala, on behest of the Central government, has demonstrated that traditional crackers can’t be done away with soon.

Industry representatives are also seeking to challenge the notion that their crackers cause high pollution. They argue that pollution happens only when the particles released by bursting crackers stay beyond 48 hours while the Pollution Control Board has declared that the gas released by the bursting conventional crackers does not stay beyond 24 hours.

Former MP Manickam Tagore said that the Pollution Control Board should file a report with the Supreme court that the five states including Delhi, where cracker sales were banned, are not facing a pollution problem because of crackers. “MP’s from Tamil Nadu should raise the issue in the Parliament till it is resolved,” he added.

Prominent state leader and head of MDMK, Vaiko who had contested unsuccessfully from Virudhunagar in the past two general elections, said steps have been taken to petition to Central Environmental Minister Harshavardhanan and Defense Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to save the industry.

Lakhs of livelihoods in limbo

Workers who for generations had earned a living from the cracker units are the worst hit by the SC order. Like Pandiyammal who said they were out of job for several months as cracker units closed down. “We were made poorer,” said Padiyammal. “We have no money even for our children’s medical expenses.

As the state went to polls on April 18, many here maintained that they would boycott the elections unless the government deliver on their promises to help the industry get back on its feet. Part of the Virudhunagar Lok Sabha seat, the constituency was carved out in 2008 from what then was Sivakasi constituency. INC’s Manickam Tagore was the first MP from this seat which is currently being held by AIADMK’s Radhakrishnan.

“When we voted five years ago for Modi, we were hoping he will do something to promote the fireworks industry. But after he has come, every year we lose out of 4-5 months’ worth of work,” said Saroja, an unemployed cracker unit worker. Joint Secretary of the Indian Fireworks Association, Rajappan said the industry was facing intermittent closures for one or other reasons, from GST to the SC ban. If this persists, the industry will be left beyond repair.

Saroja’s neighbour Pandiyammal, who is also in a similar situation, says, “Earlier we used to hear about people dying because of fire accidents in manufacturing units. But now, we all being burnt alive by the government.” Lakshmi, a third-generation worker in cracker manufacturing, says they are fully dependent on the industry and don’t know any other work.

Local politicians were quick to come out in support of the industry. Rajendra Balaji, Sivakasi MLA and a minister in the present government said the crackers do not cause pollution as alleged. “I am confident the new norms will be relaxed and the industry Sivakasi will be exempted from them,” said Balaji. “We plan to meet Prime Minister Modi in this regard.”

Sivakasi’s fireworks manufacturers and labourers have been sitting in protest from

November 13, in hopes that minister Rajendra Balaji will be as good as his word. The

protestors’ hope that electoral compulsions will force the government to announce some relief for them, and grant them exemption from the new norms hasn’t quite panned out. But ironically, a handful of small units are back in operation to fulfill the demands of political parties who stock up on fireworks in anticipation of election results.

[The author is a Chennai-based freelance writer and a member of 101Reporters]