The fireworks units at Sivakasi, which account for 90 per cent of crackers and other fireworks made in India, have been affected by illegal entry of Chinese crackers on a large scale, T. Radhakrishnan, AIADMK MP for Virdhunagar, has said.
Though imports of Chinese crackers and fireworks have been banned, they clandestinely reach the Indian market through various channels, he said in a notice drawing the government of India’s attention to the issue in the Lok Sabha a few days ago.
Chinese crackers found their way to India not only by container shipments through ports but also by road passing through Nepal, he said, urging the Centre to take effective steps to curb their smuggling.
This posed a threat to the livelihood of two lakh people in Virdhunagar district, who depended on fireworks manufacture, he said. Even shipments of crackers seized by Customs officials were later auctioned by the authorities.
The first-time MP urged that all ports be equipped with more sophisticated scanning facilities to detect such surreptitious shipments, and that the seized crackers be quickly “destroyed” without being allowed to be auctioned in the domestic market.
The public should also be made aware of the “dangers” of Chinese crackers through campaigns, he said.
When contacted, Mr. Radhakrishnan said he gave his submission in writing under Rule 377 of the Lok Sabha on July 24.
