Workers face layoff due to ban on specific crackers

It’s a well-known fact that joint-crackers (saram), is one of the most sought after variety. Consumers preferred to buy large quantities of joint crackers and a celebration of Deepavali, marked by the lighting of lamps in every courtyard, is not complete without bursting joint crackers, S Karuppasamy, a worker from Kananjampatti village, Sivakasi, Virudhunagar district said on Sunday.

The making of fancy aerial crackers, which constitute only about 25 to 30 per cent of the workforce, is more hazardous than manufacturing joint-crackers. But, Sivakasi’s fate is all the more surprising as the ban’s enforced on manufacturing joint crackers, constitute the biggest part in factories holding District Magistrate’s license.

Recalling the fateful incident, which occurred eight months ago, he said several workers were killed in a blast by accident sparked by fire in a fancy cracker factory at Achankulam.

A majority of the workforce has been relying so heavily on factories, which manufactured joint-crackers, but the ban on producing this item has affected their livelihoods by and large, he told DT Next.

P Pandian of Vembakottai, who has been in the field for over 20 years, said work has shrunk to four months this year. In good times, four of his family earned Rs 8,000 for six days a week. But, in these times of hardship, it’s difficult to even earn Rs 2,000 a week since the work has been slashed considerably.

V Saravanan of Viswanathapuram, said he has turned into a watchman after giving up his 15-year-work experience, which is not consistent, in a cracker unit.