4th October 2016

- India Today

China to Chandni Chowk: Dangerous and illegal Chinese crackers flooding markets before Diwali

Chinese firecrackers, despite being banned in India, are getting smuggled in vast quantities in India through seaports under false declarations in the name of toys or electronic goods.

Tonnes of Chinese fireworks, which erupt into a toxic haze over Indian cities every Diwali and leave residents gagging for oxygen, are being smuggled into the country despite the Centre ordering a clampdown last year.

Officials from the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) seized such firecrackers worth Rs 7.2 crore that were stuffed inside cargo containers labelled "Adhesive Tapes" and "Badminton Rackets" at a Mumbai port in August.
But sources say dozens of similar cases go unnoticed.

ILLEGAL CHINESE CRACKERS CHEAP BUT VERY DANGEROUS
Possession and sale of foreign-made explosives is a punishable offence under the Explosives Act, but the Chinese fireworks that are cheap but often unreliable and dangerous easily make their way to Indian markets.
Manufacturers of firecrackers in Tamil Nadus Sivakasi town say Chinese variants are flooding the country without any checks and the trend has gone up in the past few years.

Diwali has been muted in Delhi and other big cities in recent years with activists and experts blaming the celebrations for exacerbating the appalling air quality. K Mariappan, general secretary of the Tamil Nadu Fireworks & Amorces Manufacturers Association (TANFAMA), said nearly 2,000 containers of Chinese firecrackers worth about Rs 1,500 crore are sold in Indian markets annually. "They are being smuggled into India through main seaports such as Kandla, Nhava Sheva (Mumbai), Tuticorin (Chennai), ICD Tuglakabad and Kolkata. They enter under false declarations in the name of toys or electronic goods," he said.

The Chinese firecrackers are low on cost but come with a lot of risks, say industry insiders. "They are cheaper because of the use of chemicals such as potassium chlorate and perchlorates that are banned in India as they are not safe for the climate here. In Sivakasi as well as in many parts of the country where the temperatures are often high, these chemicals if used in fireworks may prove lethal," said Mariappan, pointing out that more expensive but safer potassium nitrate and aluminium powder are used in India.

The manufacturers also alleged that unlike Indian products, Chinese fireworks do not adhere to any noise standards prescribed by the Environment (Protection) Rules, 1986 and the Explosives Rules, 2008.

RISING CASES OF SMUGGLING
As early as on Wednesday, Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) officials seized large quantity of Chinese crackers worth Rs 1.27 crore during a raid at Pithampur inland container depot (ICD), Dhar.

DRI officials say the crackers were brought ahead of Diwali festival, when their sales boom. Shailendra Singh, joint secretary in the ministry of commerce and industry, acknowledged that Chinese firecrackers are being illegally brought into the country. "Many instances of smuggling have come to light. The containers of crackers enter the country under the guise of different items like toys or sports goods," he said.

Enforcement agencies including DRI, Customs and state authorities, keep a check on the influx of foreign fireworks at Indian borders.

Singh said the government has not provided any licence for import of Chinese firecrackers. The matter was taken up with chief ministers to direct concerned authorities for keeping a close vigil on clandestine import of fireworks and their sale. Officials said advertisements were published across the country to sensitise people against using illegally imported firecrackers and their harmful effects.

Also, district authorities, DRI and Customs officials have been instructed to confiscate such items and take action against illegal importers and sellers. "We have been writing to these agencies and states as the import of fireworks from China has been banned," added Singh. "This time too we would write to them and they will also be sensitised to stop the smuggling into the country."

A visit to the wholesale fireworks market in old Delhis Chandni Chowk area revealed how the illegal imports have dampened the local business in the past few years. "Many people dont think about safety and buy Chinese crackers because they are cheaper," said Janaki Jain, a wholesale trader.

HUGE DEMAND FOR THESE CRACKERS
Merchants said smuggled fireworks enter the market only a few days before Diwali in Delhi and other parts of the country and are mostly sold by temporary licence holders.