Agencies Warned About Smuggling of Chinese Firecrackers Ahead of Diwali
As one of the biggest Indian festival, Diwali is approaching fast, the authorities are worried about the impacts of celebrations on the environment. The tradition implies lighting of lamps on the night of the festival, but with time people have started celebrating it with the firecrackers. And post-Diwali the adverse effects of the firecrackers are quite evident throughout the nation. Not only has it contributed to air pollution, but to the noise pollution and many fire hazards for the past many years.
Although the government has been trying to limit the demand and supply of firecrackers, it rarely makes a difference. The neighboring country of China has always been a good supplier when it comes to the festival of lights. Be it light strings or the firecrackers, China has fulfilled India’s demand sufficiently.
Image: Reuters/Anushree Fadnavis
The harmful impact of firecrackers on the ecosystem has led the Indian government to ban many explosive chemicals used in firecrackers. Manufacturing, possessing and use of explosives or firecrackers containing Sulphur, mixed with any form of chlorate, is prohibited in India.
Submitting with the ban, Explosives Rules, 2008 guidelines issued by the Petroleum Safety Organization, prohibits granting the license to any company for import of Chinese firecrackers.
According to recent information, provided by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, firecrackers are likely to be smuggled into India from the neighboring country. Apparently, the import of firecrackers is ‘restricted’ in terms of foreign trade policy.
The ministry has written a letter to the chief intelligence and investigation agencies of various states, warning them to keep a check on the entry of prohibited firecrackers.
In this regard, several alerts have been issued by this office in the past. Seizure of juggled firecrackers by Customs enforcement wings bear testimony to the unabated attempts of entities to clandestinely import of firecrackers by way of misdeclaration and concealment. This is a serious matter and a grave cause of concern.
DRI’s letter read.
The Chinese firecrackers are not only dangerous to the environment but contain other harmful chemicals such as red lead, copper oxide, and lithium and are banned in India because of their hazardous compositions.
Given the efforts that are being undertaken in order to protect and preserve the ecosystem, it has become a matter of utmost importance to keep a check on the firecracker usage on Diwali and to reduce its impact on the environment.
Although it would be a major challenge, the people are required to celebrate Diwali in its traditional form, that is, lighting lamps and not polluting the air with loud and hazardous firecrackers.
Via: ANI
