KOCHI/THIRVANANTHAPURAM: For the last several years, no cracker units in the state have been fined or their licences cancelled for lacking safety measures. When contacted, Additional Chief Secretary K Jayakumar told Express that there is no dearth for reports and recommendations, but it is lack of will of implementing officers which leads to more accidents. “After the Shoranur blasts, I had given 12 recommendations to be implemented at the District Collector’s level, including that only a licensee should be given the contract for conducting fireworks display, failing which legal action should be initiated against the temple or church office-bearers concerned,” he said.“Apart from issuing guidelines, it’s time to see that district officers strictly implement them without surrendering to demands from religious organisations. It is the same in the case of elephant show also,” Jayakumar added. When an additional district magistrate is empowered to give licence for only using 50 kg of explosives, four to five times of the quantity is being exploded even in a small festival.” Potasium chlorate is banned for use in fireworks display in festivals. Poor Tamil women, who know only the yellow, black or white colour of the explosive material, are engaged by contractors,” he pointed out.
Comments
0 comment