Fire cracker units sprout in Kendrapara ahead of Diwali

As the demand of fire crackers swells ahead of Diwali, unlawful fire cracker units have sprouted across Odisha's Kendrapara district without mandatory 'operational' permit and violation of fire safety norms.
What is more disturbing is that children are seen to take a plunge into the hazardous fire crackers manufacturing to assist their parents in several villages of the district.
In order to escape the arm of law, these units work surreptitiously violating safety norms an jeopardising the lives of those working there, said activists.
All police stations across the district have been directed to launch a crackdown on these. Police are intent on booking the offenders as the unlicensed cracker units defy the safety norms and it often leads to tragic mishaps, said Sub Divisional Police Officer, Purna Chandra Pradhan.

The scene in villages like Putinga, Keruan, Garapur, Kapaleswar and Sujanagar is largely the same. These rural pockets are the hub of locally made palm-leaf fire cracker.
"Those who engage children are mostly unaware of the legal embargo. Employing children in fire cracker making is a penal offence under child labour restraint act," remarked Binayak Swain, child rights activist.

"It's our age-old profession. Now it is reduced to part-time source of livelihood. It is only during the peak marriage season and Diwali that we get the job in real sense," said a fire work manufacturer in Kapaleswar village.
"There is nothing wrong in it. After all, it is our bread and butter. Why should we be penalised for it? They are our own children. We have every right to engage them in our family trade," counters Ghanashya Jena, another fire cracker maker in Keruan village.

Kids mostly dabble in processing, dying and cutting into pieces the palm leaves. Experienced children, however, do the work in shaping up the cracker with powder.
"The work involves risk. Children are well-trained and guided to stay on vigil during the preparation work. Slight carelessness would spell danger," Anama Rout, who manufactures palmleaf crackers in Garapur village, remarked.
"These units are having temporary license issued by the police. Over 200 children are taking up this hazardous work in these units," said child rights activist, Swain.
Officials, however, were caught unaware of engagement of children in fire cracker trade. "There is no official information of unlawful operation of units and children being engaged in fireworks trade. We are inspecting manufacturing sites and stringent legal steps will be initiated against those carrying it," said SDPO, Pradhan.