Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram   

Playing with fire

Few outlets selling crackers for Deepavali observe fire safety precautions, writes G. Anand.

Fire safety precautions are observed more in the breach at several outlets selling crackers for Deepavali in the city. Such shops operate without the authorisation of the district revenue authorities and the safety clearance of the Fire and Rescue Department (FRD).

Joe Kuruvila Eso, Divisional Officer, FRD, said fewer traders have applied for temporary licence to sell crackers this season compared with past years. But the number of shops selling fireworks in the city during Deepavali has increased over the years.

According to fire safety rules, there should be no other shop within 15 m of the outlet selling crackers. The wiring in such shops should confirm to the standards set by the Kerala State Electricity Board. Fuse boxes should be well insulated and there should be no exposed wiring. No other goods should be stocked or sold in firework shops.

In many places in the city, crackers are exhibited under temporary awnings, many of them thatched, erected in front of shops and rarely, houses. Such outlets often function near other shops selling inflammable substances such as paint, varnish, clothes, and rubber and resin products. Some even operate near petrol pumps.

It is mandatory that every licensed outlet selling crackers should have at least two fire buckets filled with water and two with sand.

The traders have to keep fire extinguishers that are in working order and display no smoking boards on the premises.

The traders are also prohibited from selling cigarettes or matchboxes alongside crackers. A licensed trader cannot stock more than 25 kg of crackers. However, these rules are observed more in the breach, a police official said.

During Deepavali, customers often end up paying several times more than they ought to for fireworks.

B. Satheeshan, Controller, Legal Metrology department, said that packaged commodity rules apply to crackers sold in packets.

He said action would be taken against those selling crackers in packets without labels showing the maximum retail price (MRP) of the product, inclusive of all taxes. The quantity sold should match the net content marked on the package.

The label on the package should have the name and address of the manufacturer or the packer, the name of the commodity, the month and year of packing and the net content, he said.

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Playing with fire

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