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Speaking to the reporters in the sidelines of EPS 1995 Pensioners Felicitation Function organised by the Employee's Provident Fund Organisation, Sitharaman said, "We are acting very seriously on illegal crackers. Government has not given permission for import of firecrackers."
She said that a delegation of the firecracker industry along with BJP Organisation Secretary has met her in Delhi and alleged that a large quantity of firecrackers are imported illegally from China, brought in containers, kept in some unknown place and distributed in the market. They also said that these products are cheap in price, but has safety issues.
Besides, they added that it is also a threat to the industry in India, she added. Firecrackers works is a labour intensive process and it gives a livelihood to a large number of people. It is a main employment opportunity in dry areas like Sivakasi. She recalled that Sivakasi has been manufacturing fire crackers and match sticks for several years there and the related printing industry has also flourished there.
"We have taken immediate action on it. We have issued a public notice yesterday night itself and will be issuing advertisements to make public aware that selling illegal firecrackers in retail is a crime. It will be conveyed to the public without leaving any doubt," she said.
The government has urged the public to inform presence of illegal crackers in any retail shop and the authorities would check the details including who has sold it and from which port it has come in. The government would take stringent action against such incidence.
"We have sent letter to all the Chief Ministers including of Tamil Nadu, stating that the States has the responsibility to take action against illegal firecrackers, since the Law and Order is a State subject. We will advertise the sections under which the sales of illegal firecrackers will be eligible for punishment," she said.
She also clarified that the while there is a false information that these firecrackers might be imported under Explosives Act, there should be specific permission to import firecrackers under the Act and the centre has not given any such specific permission to anybody.
"If somebody claims that they have imported under the Explosives Act, it is illegal and is a big crime. We have not given license to anybody for that," she said. The government is also strengthening the port authorities to check such consignments, she said.
As reported earlier, the Sivakasi industry is estimated to be Rs 3,000 crore and on average the industry works for 200 days in a year. Around 300,000 people are engaged in making fire cracker products in and around Sivakasi, which caters to 80 per cent of India's needs. According to earlier reports, around Rs 300 crore worth of firecrackers were imported from China last year and this year, it is expected to double, affecting the industry in Sivakasi to a higher extend.
