With just a few days left for everyone to celebrate the festival of Diwali with enthusiasm,
incidents of many people losing their lives in firecracker manufacturing accidents are causing great pain. Four youths, including a college student, tragically died when the crackers suddenly exploded while the workers were working at a firecracker factory in Thillaiyadi village of Mayiladuthurai district. Fireworks continue to cause accidents: Is it due to lack of safety?
On the 7th of this month, on the 7th of this month, 14 people were killed when the firecrackers exploded in an accident at the Athipalli firecracker shop near Ossur on the Tamil Nadu-Kannada border. Before this tragedy was over, an explosion occurred last Monday at a domestic explosives manufacturing plant operating in Virakalur village near Tirumanoor, Ariyalur district, and the factory building was leveled. 11 of them died due to dismemberment. 12 Po was badly burned.
These are the accidents that happened in the last few days. Prior to this, on March 22, nine people, including three women, died on the spot in an explosion at a firecracker factory operating in Valathottam village near Orikai, Kanchipuram Corporation. After that, four days after receiving treatment, he died.
Nine people, including the owner, son and daughter of the storehouse, died in an accident that occurred on July 29 at a firecracker warehouse in Old Pettai, Krishnagiri. Apart from these, one or more people are dying in such accidents which happen from time to time in Sivakasi of Virudhunagar district and other places. All these are reported in the media and are sometimes forgotten.
In all such accidents, factory buildings collapse to the ground and many vehicles parked in the premises are set ablaze. Apart from those who die on the spot, some suffer severe burns and die within a few days. And the fact that some survive and suffer the effects for a long time is the height of tragedy.
Don’t think that accidents are just happening in cracker factories. On September 5, 2012, 38 people died in an accident at Omshakti Fireworks Factory in Sivakasi and 23 people died in an accident on February 12, 2021 in Acchankulam village near Sivakasi.
Only when such incidents occur, prompt action checks are conducted. Even now, after the accident happened last Monday in Virakalur village of Ariyalur district, it was revealed that many houses were making firecrackers without permission when the police raided the nearby villages the next day. Firecrackers and chemicals used to make firecrackers were seized from many houses.
There are a total of 1,482 firecracker factories in Tamil Nadu. Of these, 1,085 plants are operating in Virudhunagar district alone. There are 6,639 crackers retail outlets. About seven lakh workers are engaged in this industry. Most of those involved are wage labourers. A significant number of women are engaged in this industry. As far as women are concerned, they work in this because they can save their family only if they earn an income.
Districts like Virudhunagar, Krishnagiri, Ariyalur are prone to drought. Agriculture is very less as the sky is a dry land. Because there are no other professions, everyone is risking their lives in this profession.
In many places, licensees for crackers are not directly involved in manufacturing themselves. The various rooms in the crackers factory are separated and rented out in small quantities. Although it is an offense under the law, the licensees do not know about it. Even small sparks can become very dangerous due to small rooms and easily flammable materials.
As all the workers work as daily wage workers, no job security is provided to them. In some places, such accidents occur due to many reasons such as continuing to operate the factory even after the license has expired, employing more workers than the specified number, and lack of safety equipment.
The government should take strict action against the violations and stop the loss of innocent lives.
There is no such thing as an appropriate period for the act of drinking and swimming. If he regards his dignity with laziness, his pride will be ruined.
