ALAPPUZHA: The authorities have not learnt any lessons from the series of firecracker accidents that have killed over 500 people in the state during the last eight years. Nor are they likely to get wiser with the worst-ever fireworks tragedy in Paravur, Kollam, that has claimed the lives of over 100 people and seriously injured over 350.
This is the result of lax rules, ignorance of the local pyrotechnicians on the explosive chemicals, undue influence exerted by politicians in issuing licences and the failure of the government in fully empowering the Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO) in handling explosive substances.
PESO currently issues licence only for using high explosives in granite quarries unlike in other southern states where it has vast powers. Chief Minister Oommen Chandy had informed the Assembly on March 18, 2013 that guidelines had been framed to prevent the functioning of illegal cracker units. But it has been proved that neither the police nor the district administration had taken any steps to monitor them. The contractor in the Paravur incident had stored a huge quantity of powerful firecrackers though the Additional District Magistrate can permit only 15 kg of explosives.
Deccan Chronicle had raised this issue several times, including on January 22 following an explosion at Marad which killed a worker and critically injured another. Mr C.R. Surendranath, retired deputy chief controller of explosives, PESO, says the organisation has had no authority to issue licences for manufacturing units since 2008 after the ADM was authorised to issue the licences. In other states, PESO directly handles the security matters in all manufacturing units.
The ADM can issue licences for only 15 kg of explosives per unit. But the former PESO official feels that the government should scrap this power of the ADM for two reasons: First: The district administration is often pressurised by political and communal interests. Second: Handling explosive matters needs technical expertise. At present the district administration has no technical support to issue a licence. “If the power is handed over fully to the PESO, it will monitor the display spot and manufacturing units and seek sketches of display spot, test the power of chemicals and other safety measures, including timing and size of the crackers to issue licence.
Mr V.K. Venkitachalam, secretary, Public Interest Forum, has demanded a blanket ban on fireworks until the central government issues the proposed amended version of the explosive rule 2008 empowering the PESO with full authority to issue such licences.
As per unofficial data, during the past eight years (2006-2014), a total of 463 fireworks disasters have occurred in Kerala killing 510 people, including 352 male workers, 80 women, 33 licensees and 43 laymen. A total of 308 workers were killed in 297 kathina mishaps and 420 mishaps occurred inside fireworks manufacturing sites and 43 at display places.
According to experts, the workers are using potassium chlorate widely for manufacturing crackers as it is cheap and easily available. “Potassium chlorate catches fire by friction. The main reason for the mishaps is using unskilled people as pyrotechnicians. No unit in the state has taken proper safety measures as the PESO instructed. Most pyrotechnicians even don't know whether the chemicals are toxic or not. Potassium chlorate is highly toxic. They have also not been taught the ways to dispose of explosives,” says retired prof K.R. Janardhanan, an expert. Fireworks are the result of chemical reactions such as oxidation and reduction.
