In the countdown to the festival of lights, raids and awareness campaigns have started in full swing, leaving the dealers and manufacturers of fireworks an unhappy lot.

The Supreme Court had issued a direction in 2007, restricting the use of loudspeakers and firecrackers. Fireworks that generate noise more than 90 decibel measured at a distance of 5m from the point of bursting had been banned. Accordingly, chocolate bombs, chain crackers, loose crackers, Kali patka, dhani patka, dodoma, seven shot, rocket bomb and similar noise-making fireworks had been prohibited in Bengal.

The Burobazar Fireworks Dealers’ Association (BFDA), which puts up 80 stalls in Bazi Bazar — a temporary market in the Maidan to sell firecrackers — claimed that they would incur at least 30 to 40 per cent loss in their business this year.

Some 55 types of firecrackers, which were to be sold at the Bazar, were tested recently by the West Bengal Pollution Control Board (WBPCB) jointly with the police and 41 of them were above 90 decibel sound. “Last year it was not that bad. This time only 14 types of firecrackers have been passed by pollution experts. Last year, we had 32 items which were passed. Initially we had thought that we would not set up the Bazi Bazar, but after a meeting with the Commissioner of Police today we decided to start the fair despite the losses,” said Sanjay Kumar Dutta, secretary, BFDA.

With the variety of firecrackers being reduced from 100-150 to 60-70, vendors are concerned about meeting the demand of the customers. According to Dutta, two types of firecracker, ‘siren’ and ‘aakash barshad’, which are popular among the buyers, have also been banned by the state.

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