From Saurav Borah
GUWAHATI: The Supreme Court’s time restrictions and stricter checks on retailers selling high-decibel crackers by joint teams across Assam this Diwali has hit firecracker making units in Barpeta hard.
Unlike in the previous years when Chinese-made lights and Sivakasi-made firecrackers posed the only threat to the hand-made crackers of Barpeta, this time, it has been the curbs and checks that have prompted wholesale traders and retailers across the state to lift lesser quantities from the five major units of Assam’s “atasbaji” hub.
“Sales have been down by 30 to 40 per cent mainly because of Supreme Court’s guidelines in regard to timing for bursting crackers on Diwali. As a result, traders from other parts of the state have lifted lesser quantity from us this time. In fact, three of our units have had to open retail shops near their factories in Barpeta, where the sales have been surprisingly less,” rued Gunajit Pathak of Manoranjan Fireworks at Brindabanhati in Barpeta town on the eve of Diwali.
The 133-year-old fireworks industry in the lower Assam district (Barpeta) operates under the Barpeta Atasbaji Silpa Somobai Samiti with about 60 workers currently engaged in the five units.
Higher input costs have compelled them to keep rates higher than its competitors but at a premium quality. However, a preference for the cheaper Tamil Nadu-made crackers and “imitation by some unscrupulous sections in neighbouring Nalbari district” has always affected their sales over the decades.
“As it is we have to procure the major ingredients from Kolkata for which our costs have tripled. The state government has so far remained silent on our demands for providing subsidy on raw materials such as sulphur, potassium nitrate, cast iron particles and charcoal,” Pathak said, even as workers in his unit were still making last-minute preparations for sale.
Pollution Control Board Assam (PCBA) officials have along with markets in the state conducted checks at the Barpeta firecracker making units and reportedly no violations have been detected.
But despite the stress on light as opposed to sound, the flower pots (kol gos) and sparklers of Barpeta are not finding the right amount of takers.
“This is by far the worst period in recent years. Yes packaging may still not be our forte but some of our unique products such as phanus (a cracker that lights up the night sky) and akhorgos (letters appear as the firecracker burns) are procured only on occasions such as weddings and festivals and not quite for Diwali. It’s a worry for sure as this is our livelihood. But we are intent on carrying forward the legacy,” a sombre yet resolute Pathak told The Shillong Times on Monday.
Apparently, traders too are refraining from “openly” selling high-decibel firecrackers to an extent, what with stricter checks conducted by joint teams across markets in the state. Quantity wise, the Barpeta-made crackers only occupy a miniscule portion of the sale spread.
“These are high quality crackers having a greater burn time. Yet, people prefer the Sivakasi-made items because they appear attractive, and more importantly, are cheaper,” a wholesale trader at Fancy Bazar, the capital city’s commercial hub, said.