Former Union minister have demanded measures to be taken to save cracker industry and workers
Former Union Minister G. K. Vasan
Madurai: The Congress leader and former Union Minister G. K. Vasan has sought a ban on the import of firecrackers from China and demanded appropriate measures to protect the cracker industry and workers in the state.Claiming that the livelihood of hundreds of workers engaged in the cracker making units in the southern districts, particularly Virudhunagar and Sivakasi, would improve if firecrackers were not imported, he told reporters here on Sunday that the Centre should take steps to ban imports.
According to sources, although Sivakasi has a turnover of Rs 3,000 crore worth fireworks, not even one percent of it is exported due to the difficulties faced in shipping. As the manufacturers faced constraints in exporting due to the restrictions imposed by other countries, the previous Congress government in 2013 had even assured steps to promote fireworks exports.
“The lot of the workers would improve if the Centre initiates measures to promote exports,” Mr Vasan said. On the Tamil Nadu fishermen issue he said that though the Centre assured to find a lasting solution, there has been no progress thus far. The fishermen were still being attacked by the Lankan navy. The Centre should find a permanent solution to the vexatious problem.
“There is no benefit for the people. We have anti-people government functioning at the Centre,” he said when asked about the 100-day performance of the BJP government.
( Source : dc correspondent )
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