SIVAKASI WEATHER
CSIR & FRDC to collaborate on fireworks research

28-11-2013
28th November 2013

Courtesy: The Times of India

CSIR and Fireworks Research and Development Centre to collaborate on fireworks research

Built in sprawling five acre land, the Fireworks Research and Development Centre (FRDC) at Sivakasi is equipped with advanced physical, chemical, pyro and instrumentation laboratories. Armed with equipments like modern thermo analytical equipments, spectrophotometers and sound level meters it should have played a key role in the automation of fireworks industry thereby saving many lives lost in the fireworks accidents every year.

However, crippled with acute shortage of manpower, the FRDC went defunct without major contribution towards modernisation of the fireworks industry though the centre was inaugurated in 2011. It could be noted that the one man commission by Chaitanya Prasad after Mudalipatti accident recommended the FRDC start concentrating on research works for the purpose it was created.

With the intension of reviving the research works in the centre, a meeting was convened by E M Sudarsana Nachiappan, union minister of state for commerce and industry on Friday, to explore the possibilities of a tie up with Council For Scientific And Industrial Research (CSIR). CSIR scientists M Suryanarayanan from CSIR - CLRI (Central Leather Research Institute), Chennai and S Muthukrishnan of central electro chemical research institute (CECRI) Karaikudi participated in the meeting with officials from Petroleum And Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO).

R Venugopal, controller of explosives and centre in-charge, PESO at Sivakasi, said that it will be a joint venture to upgrade regular research works of FRDC. Due to lack of manpower, the centre could not perform the duties to its fullest capacity, he said. "The research alliance or the Memorandum of Understanding between these institutions will play a crucial role of revamping FRDC" he said. Once revamped, FRDC will play a major role in the field of noise level analysis, environmental friendly fireworks manufacturing, chemical composition analysis and mechanisation of fireworks industry, he pointed out. Chief controller of explosives, T R Thomas from PESO was present to chair the meeting and the director level talks are being planned to bring out this MoU, he added.

Suryanarayanan said that the objective of the alliance is to promote research works but the technicalities will be finalised once MoU is prepared. "The proposal is at its initial stage and we are going to meet further in this regard, in coming days" he said.

FRDC at present is functioning with a single staff carrying out noise level testing of the fireworks. However, the fireworks industries in Sivakasi at present are more into pyro-techniques and fancy type fireworks which require complex chemical compositions. A proper research into this chemical composition and automation of hazardous procedures would have played a crucial role, according to fireworks manufacturers. "When the centre was launched, it was promised with 85 staff exclusively for research. But, the severe staff shortage has crippled the institute" commented A Mariappan, vice president of Tamil Nadu Fireworks and Amorces Manufacturers Association (TANFAMA). "We are not satisfied with the noise level testing too" he quipped.

Meanwhile, PESO officials felt that the FRDC should have been handled by CSIR from the beginning. "Being a statutory authority, handling research works is not our realm. There should have been an independent agency to carry out the research works" a PESO official mentioned. The MoU with CSIR will relieve them a great deal and the reviving of research works will indeed boost mechanisation process in the industry, the official further said.

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