Death by fireworks: on offense of rules in hazardous industries

Unsafe working conditions and improper handling of ignitable raw materials continue to threaten lives in the fireworks market. Last week, 11 workers were charred at a fireworks unit in Tamil Nadu’s Virudhunagar district. Cops data reveal that in the past years, at least 239 people have perished and over 265 injured in 142 accidents in fireworks systems. Such disasters have not been confined to Sivakasi, deemed the fireworks capital of the world, where most such units are focused. Prohibited cracker systems functioning in a few other parts of the State have also resulted in loss of a considerable variety of lives. Around Sivakasi, the production of firecrackers in makeshift unlicensed units, rough