Green woes: Sivakasi fireworks units may take a Rs 800-crore hit

Some opine that green crackers are yet not practical, question govt's move to promote them

The fireworks industry in Sivakasi, Tamil Nadu, is expected to take a hit of about Rs 800 crore in the run-up to Diwali this year, primarily as it tries to comply with the Supreme Court’s directive on environment-friendly crackers.

Last year, the unorganised industry that employs about 800,000 people, had earned about Rs 2,000 crore in the Diwali season. Sources said it expects to be fully compliant with the SC’s norms next year, thereby reducing losses.

Crackers from Sivakasi, a town about 550 km southwest of Chennai, have already been shipped to various centres for Diwali, which falls on October 27 this