Firecracker regulation: Implementation of 2005 SC verdict disappointing

New Delhi, April 15: In the wake of a major accident due to fire crackers, there is a cry to ban the same. Courts have repeatedly said that a ban on firecrackers is not the solution, but regulating its use is. The Supreme Court had passed a detailed order in the year 2005 on firecrackers while directing the department of explosives to notify regulations.

Firecrackers are part of the Indian tradition and has been used during various festivals. While festivities are important to many, the departments concerned have been slow in implementing the guidelines as mandated by the Supreme Court. For instance there are 40 notified firecrackers for which guidelines were needed. The Departments concerned have set guidelines for four.

The Supreme Court in 2005 had directed the department of explosives to notify regulations with regard to the permitted composition of each type of firecrackers. It was also stated that the packaging must include the chemical composition. The Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation in the year 2008 came up with guidelines for four categories.

The PESO guidelines stated that the sulphur content must not exceed 20 per cent, the aluminium content needs to be at 23 per cent while the nitrates cannot exceed 57 per cent. The PESO is yet to come up with another set of guidelines.

Further another set of guidelines that remain on paper are the ones that have been issued by the The Central Pollution Control Board. It made the states responsible for implementing these guidelines as fire safety is a state subject.

These guidelines specified the that the sound levels cannot exceed the ambient air quality standards and ambient noise standards. It was also stated that firecrackers are not burst by individual households. However these guidelines are yet to see the light of the day.

OneIndia News