DMK leader writes to Union Labour Minister, discusses repercussions of banning crackers
The DMK leader stated that the firecracker industry employed over 8 lakh people in the state adding that lakhs depended on it as a direct source of employment.
- India News
- 2 min read
With Diwali inching closer, DMK leader TR Baalu wrote to Union Labour Minister Santosh Gangwar talking about the last-minute ban on the sale of firecrackers in some states across India, discussing the repercussions that would befall the fireworks industry and the workers employed in the field.
The DMK leader stated that the firecracker industry employed over 8 lakh people in the state talking about how lakhs depended on it as a direct source of employment. Mentioning the 2-hour window that the Supreme Court had imposed to allow bursting crackers, the DMK leader said that the firecrackers were being manufactured keeping the guidelines of the top Court in check, adding that they were designed with low emission levels.
"Despite the above facts as above, the State Govts are banning the bursting of crackers which is affecting the employment of 8 lakh workers in Tamil Nadu. This unsubstantiated and unscientific ban has affected the livelihood of not only the workers but also the future of the Fireworks industry in the state. I seek your personal intervention to lift the ban on bursting crackers on Diwali Day," read the MP's letter.
"The sudden ban imposed on the sale of firecrackers by Rajasthan and other State governments is surprising and shocking; request you to earmark fund to compensate workers and firework industries," he added.
With some states in the country banning the sale and bursting of firecrackers during Diwali, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS) has asserted that the state would not follow suit as there was "no empirical evidence or validated data to demonstrate that the bursting of crackers has effect on COVID patients."
States such as West Bengal, Odisha, Rajasthan, Sikkim, and Delhi have decided to ban firecrackers citing Coronavirus concerns. The states have decided to go for a complete ban on firecrackers to control air pollution levels which they have said would be "hazardous" for COVID-19 patients.
Published By : Ananya Varma
Published On: 7 November 2020 at 16:23 IST