Kerala - Thrissur   

Initiatives to prevent accidents during fireworks display

T. Ramavarman

Meeting of all display licence-holders to be held in Kochi on July 26

THRISSUR: Initiatives are on at different levels to prevent accidents during production of crackers and fireworks display in connection with various festivals in the State.

The officials of the Explosives Department, now known as the Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO), have convened a meeting of all display licence-holders in the State on July 26 in Kochi to discuss the issue. Deputy Chief Controller of Explosives G.M. Reddy and Controller of Explosives R. Venugopal told The Hindu here that the meeting had been convened in the wake of the numerous cracker-related accidents in the State every year.

Last year, 17 persons were killed and six injured in eight accidents in cracker units in different parts of State, Mr. Venugopal said. "Now that we have been given the power to issue the display licences from Kochi (earlier it was issued only from the Chennai office of the PESO), we want to educate the display licence holders on how to conduct the fireworks display without accidents," Mr. Reddy said.

Collector's initiative

Thrissur District Collector K.S. Premachandra Kurup has taken the initiative to bring together all the stakeholders to make the fireworks display of the Thrissur Pooram festival less hazardous. Mr. Kurup has tried to evolve a consensus among the Pooram organisers and other sections such as the people's representatives, trade bodies, non-governmental organisations and experts on the need to reduce the noise level of the fireworks display and to adhere to the stipulated safety norms. At a meeting convened by him on Friday, it was decided to form a committee to advise the Pooram organisers on the various steps to reduce the number of accidents in the production and display of fireworks.

A discussion on `Pooram fireworks display,' organised by the social action group `Jananeethi' here on Wednesday last, was also in favour of reducing the noise level of the fireworks display and making it into a visual display. The participants also emphasised the need to conduct more research into the methods used to make the fireworks production and display less hazardous.

Meanwhile, the initiatives launched by the Thiruvambady and Paramekkavu Devaswoms to reduce the noise level of the Pooram fireworks display and to make it more of a visual display have been widely welcomed by the people. However, some people were sceptical about the Devaswoms honouring their promises. The key issue, they said, was whether the Devaswoms would desist from using banned chemicals like potassium chlorate in the production of the fireworks.

Jose Karerakkattil who has been the producing Pooram fireworks for the Paramekkavu Devaswom for 21 years said that it would be possible to arrange a splendid fireworks display without using potassium chlorate.

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