Along with firecrackers and fashionable lights, patriotism is on full display at Sadar Bazaar this Diwali season.
Outside many firecracker shops in Delhi’s largest wholesale market, shoppers are greeted by banners urging one not to ‘disrespect’ the Army by seeking ‘Made in China’ products.
The customers themselves are not so keen on Chinese products, though that is because of factors besides ‘patriotism’.
“I had purchased Chinese crackers in bulk a few years ago, particularly because they were cheaper than the Indian ones. But they turned out to be duds and dangerous,” says Rakesh Prakash, a north Delhi resident, who had come to the market with his family for Diwali shopping.
Chinese crackers on average cost 30 per cent less than firecrackers made in India
Several complaints
Most shopkeepers in the area echoed similar sentiments about the low demand for imported crackers. “We received several complaints of accidents caused by Chinese crackers. They were dangerous for children,” says Yashpal, a shopkeeper.
The excitement for cheap Chinese crackers has fizzled out. “Many of the crackers were not bursting. Sometimes they burst prematurely, causing accidents,” says Ravi Kumar, another shopkeeper.
“The only people selling the banned crackers are those on the streets. Not even a single cracker in our shop has been imported from China. Almost all our products are manufactured in Sivakasi (Tamil Nadu),” adds Mr. Kumar.
Many shops clearly communicate the unavailability of Chinese crackers through banners outside their shops. “We have had two or three customers so far who asked us specifically for Indian crackers as they did not want to indirectly support China by buying their products,” says Mr. Yashpal.
The demand of customers for ‘Made in India’ products was more apparent at shops selling designer lights for Diwali. If shopkeepers are to be believed, they are settling for more expensive and few designs in their bid to support the Indian manufacturers.
“A good number of customers have been asking us for Indian lights. So, despite Indian lights costing 30 to 40 per cent more, we have stocked our shop with them. We asked for lesser supply of Chinese lights and mostly used the stock left over from last year,” says Kaushal Kumar, an employee at one such shop.
Bline eye to pollution
Despite making a conscious choice to choose only India-made products, the attitude of a customers and sellers towrds pollution caused by bursting firecrackers has not changed.
“Bursting crackers is not a daily affair, so customers are not bothered about the pollution caused. In any case, Indian crackers pollute less than the Chinese ones,” says Deepak, a shopkeeper.
The market has also not seen any dip in demand for coloured crackers, which produce colourful smoke and light, that are among the most polluting and harmful.
“You can see our shop is stacked with colourful crackers. They won’t cause much damage as they explode in the air, far away from the people lighting them,” says Mr. Kumar.
Chinese crackers
on average cost
30 per cent less than firecrackers made in India
