file photo of Indian brand Aiyyan pattasu
Sivakasi, in Virudhunagar
District of Tamilnadu is the undisputed capital of India’s firecracker industry
with about 8,000 factories, big and small, producing 90 percent of the total
fireworks output. Hailed as ‘kutti
Japan’ – this place is also known for litho printing press and calendars. In May 2014, had posted on the Madurai Bench
of Madras high court chiding top central agencies, including the Customs
department, for failing to prevent illegal import of Chinese firecrackers into
the country . At a special sitting of the bench, the customs department (Tuticorin) informed
the court that it was not aware of communications sent by the chief controller
of explosives (CCE) seeking action against illegal import of Chinese
firecrackers to save the Sivakasi-based fireworks industry. The Court was
informed that Tuticorin Port had only one scanner which impeded checking
hundreds of consignments being imported.
The Madras High Court Bench
here on Thursday (25/9/14) directed the Centre to conduct raids nationwide and
seize Chinese crackers that had been imported clandestinely owing to the
“slackness” in vigil at ports, airports and border checkpoints and the “absence
of coordination among government departments.”
Allowing a public interest litigation petition, a Division Bench of
Justices N. Kirubakaran and S. Vaidyanathan said: “The customs authorities and
the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) are directed to take all possible
steps to check, detect and prevent the illegal imports causing danger to our
economy and the safety of the children.”
Shocked at the submission of
Tuticorin port officials that only 10 per cent of the imported consignments
were examined, the judges said: “As the prohibited crackers are able to creep
into India without authorisation, there is every likelihood of even dangerous
explosive materials coming in, endangering lives, property and, most
importantly, the security of the nation. “Every officer in the entry points
should be duty-conscious and vigilant to prevent smuggling of prohibited items.
They should discharge their duties in accordance with law and with patriotism.”
They observed that it was also obligatory on the part of the Centre to allocate
more funds for providing the infrastructure required for examining all
containers.
Listing the names of
companies which had advertised themselves to be cracker importers, the Bench
said: “It would only show that there is no supervision or collective action by
the authorities. The Central agencies should independently take note of these
advertisements. It is not necessary that only based on specific complaints have
cases to be registered.” The court also
took note of a report that appeared in The Guardian on February 1, 2013 about
the explosion of a truck carrying Chinese fireworks on an express bridge in
Central China and said: “Our country is facing threats from extremists and
fundamentalists … We should not give any room for dangerous things to happen.”
The Judges also ordered CBI
to investigate the seizure of Chinese crackers. While the Govt. agencies would
do enforcement of law – responsible citizens should desist buying such
illegally imported crackers. The Nation’s security is uppermost …….. let us celebrate Deepavali grandly – buy and burst crackers –
buy only Indian crackers – only the ones legally made.
With regards – S.
Sampathkumar
26th Sept. 2014.
Society Magazine
Celebrate Deepavali with Crackers - Only Indian- Say No to Illegally Imported Ones
Posted on the 01 October 2014 by Sampathkumar Sampath
Deepavali, the festival of Lights enthuses everyone and is celebrated
all over the Country with great enthusiasm.
People wear new clothes, eat and share
lot of sweets and celebrate with crackers. The very thought of Deepavali celebrations
pervades happiness and would enthuse us ~ the fervour felt right from our
childhood. It is a grand festival that
would provide everything in abundance – sweets, visiting and sharing with
friends and relatives, watching movies and more….
Fire crackers – the small
explosives designed to produce noise and the eye-capturing fireworks – both on
the ground and on the air have captivated people for centuries now. Every year you get to hear newer names – new introductions – last year saw fancy names like ‘super sonica; Chandni ka
chand; soneri rath;soneri barsath; floral fantasy…For ages the crowded Parrys
would get more congested as Bunder Street, Badrian Street, Anderson Street all
will look similar – only shops selling crackers. All roads would lead to shops selling fire
crackers of various manufacturers including – Standard, National, Sri
Kaliswari, Ayyan ….. – you can see hundreds of shops - still all do roaring business. For the past
couple of years, it has been island grounds citing safety reasons :
file photo of Indian brand Aiyyan pattasu
Sivakasi, in Virudhunagar
District of Tamilnadu is the undisputed capital of India’s firecracker industry
with about 8,000 factories, big and small, producing 90 percent of the total
fireworks output. Hailed as ‘kutti
Japan’ – this place is also known for litho printing press and calendars. In May 2014, had posted on the Madurai Bench
of Madras high court chiding top central agencies, including the Customs
department, for failing to prevent illegal import of Chinese firecrackers into
the country . At a special sitting of the bench, the customs department (Tuticorin) informed
the court that it was not aware of communications sent by the chief controller
of explosives (CCE) seeking action against illegal import of Chinese
firecrackers to save the Sivakasi-based fireworks industry. The Court was
informed that Tuticorin Port had only one scanner which impeded checking
hundreds of consignments being imported.
The Madras High Court Bench
here on Thursday (25/9/14) directed the Centre to conduct raids nationwide and
seize Chinese crackers that had been imported clandestinely owing to the
“slackness” in vigil at ports, airports and border checkpoints and the “absence
of coordination among government departments.”
Allowing a public interest litigation petition, a Division Bench of
Justices N. Kirubakaran and S. Vaidyanathan said: “The customs authorities and
the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) are directed to take all possible
steps to check, detect and prevent the illegal imports causing danger to our
economy and the safety of the children.”
Shocked at the submission of
Tuticorin port officials that only 10 per cent of the imported consignments
were examined, the judges said: “As the prohibited crackers are able to creep
into India without authorisation, there is every likelihood of even dangerous
explosive materials coming in, endangering lives, property and, most
importantly, the security of the nation. “Every officer in the entry points
should be duty-conscious and vigilant to prevent smuggling of prohibited items.
They should discharge their duties in accordance with law and with patriotism.”
They observed that it was also obligatory on the part of the Centre to allocate
more funds for providing the infrastructure required for examining all
containers.
Listing the names of
companies which had advertised themselves to be cracker importers, the Bench
said: “It would only show that there is no supervision or collective action by
the authorities. The Central agencies should independently take note of these
advertisements. It is not necessary that only based on specific complaints have
cases to be registered.” The court also
took note of a report that appeared in The Guardian on February 1, 2013 about
the explosion of a truck carrying Chinese fireworks on an express bridge in
Central China and said: “Our country is facing threats from extremists and
fundamentalists … We should not give any room for dangerous things to happen.”
The Judges also ordered CBI
to investigate the seizure of Chinese crackers. While the Govt. agencies would
do enforcement of law – responsible citizens should desist buying such
illegally imported crackers. The Nation’s security is uppermost …….. let us celebrate Deepavali grandly – buy and burst crackers –
buy only Indian crackers – only the ones legally made.
With regards – S.
Sampathkumar
26th Sept. 2014.
file photo of Indian brand Aiyyan pattasu
Sivakasi, in Virudhunagar
District of Tamilnadu is the undisputed capital of India’s firecracker industry
with about 8,000 factories, big and small, producing 90 percent of the total
fireworks output. Hailed as ‘kutti
Japan’ – this place is also known for litho printing press and calendars. In May 2014, had posted on the Madurai Bench
of Madras high court chiding top central agencies, including the Customs
department, for failing to prevent illegal import of Chinese firecrackers into
the country . At a special sitting of the bench, the customs department (Tuticorin) informed
the court that it was not aware of communications sent by the chief controller
of explosives (CCE) seeking action against illegal import of Chinese
firecrackers to save the Sivakasi-based fireworks industry. The Court was
informed that Tuticorin Port had only one scanner which impeded checking
hundreds of consignments being imported.
The Madras High Court Bench
here on Thursday (25/9/14) directed the Centre to conduct raids nationwide and
seize Chinese crackers that had been imported clandestinely owing to the
“slackness” in vigil at ports, airports and border checkpoints and the “absence
of coordination among government departments.”
Allowing a public interest litigation petition, a Division Bench of
Justices N. Kirubakaran and S. Vaidyanathan said: “The customs authorities and
the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) are directed to take all possible
steps to check, detect and prevent the illegal imports causing danger to our
economy and the safety of the children.”
Shocked at the submission of
Tuticorin port officials that only 10 per cent of the imported consignments
were examined, the judges said: “As the prohibited crackers are able to creep
into India without authorisation, there is every likelihood of even dangerous
explosive materials coming in, endangering lives, property and, most
importantly, the security of the nation. “Every officer in the entry points
should be duty-conscious and vigilant to prevent smuggling of prohibited items.
They should discharge their duties in accordance with law and with patriotism.”
They observed that it was also obligatory on the part of the Centre to allocate
more funds for providing the infrastructure required for examining all
containers.
Listing the names of
companies which had advertised themselves to be cracker importers, the Bench
said: “It would only show that there is no supervision or collective action by
the authorities. The Central agencies should independently take note of these
advertisements. It is not necessary that only based on specific complaints have
cases to be registered.” The court also
took note of a report that appeared in The Guardian on February 1, 2013 about
the explosion of a truck carrying Chinese fireworks on an express bridge in
Central China and said: “Our country is facing threats from extremists and
fundamentalists … We should not give any room for dangerous things to happen.”
The Judges also ordered CBI
to investigate the seizure of Chinese crackers. While the Govt. agencies would
do enforcement of law – responsible citizens should desist buying such
illegally imported crackers. The Nation’s security is uppermost …….. let us celebrate Deepavali grandly – buy and burst crackers –
buy only Indian crackers – only the ones legally made.
With regards – S.
Sampathkumar
26th Sept. 2014.
