SPURIOUS ‘green’ crackers in markets

 

 

 

 

 

THOUGH the Supreme Court of India has imposed a ban on sale and use of unauthorised fire crackers and allowed ecofriendly firecrackers during Diwali, spurious ‘green firecrackers’ have flooded markets in the city. The ‘green’ crackers are supposed to have certification of CSIR-National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (CSIRNEERI) and Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO) and a QR (quick response) code. However, several boxes have the ‘Logo of CSIR-NEERI’ but no certification from the PESO, no registration number and no QR Code on them. Similarly, manyboxes have the ‘QR Code’ ofCSIR-NEERI but most of the QRcodes are not working. With the CSIR-NEERI’sstamp of approval, thecrackers are also mandatedto be affixed with the QRcode that customers canscan and obtain informationabout the crackers’ emissionsand composition. CSIR-NEERI signed a memorandum of understanding(MoU) with hundreds of manufacturers for making ‘green’firecrackers. ‘Green’ firecrackers have asmall shell size as compared toregular ones.

 

Their formulation comprises less polluting raw materials. ‘Green’ firecrackers, in many cases, also use polluting chemicals like aluminium, barium, potassium nitrate and carbon but the quantity is low, which in turn lowers the emission by about 30percent.Insome‘Green’firecrackers, these chemicals are not at all used. A very limited ‘Green’ firecrackers are available in the markets thathave logoandQR code both. Firecrackers like ‘fuljhadi’, ‘pencil’, ‘chakri’ and some otherfirecrackers which cause less pollution have the logo and QR code both. However,majorityofthefirecrackers that produce high decibelsoundandmoresmoke like ‘Sutli bombs’, multiple shots, ‘anar’ etc., inthe market have no CSIR-NEERI or PESO authentication. Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) is the implementing agency and keeps vigil to ensure pollution rules are adhered to inthe city. Whereas, the State Government has no mechanism to check illegal ‘Green’ firecrackers available in the market except anyone who send the QR code of the boxes. According to asenior official of MPCB, “We have conducted the decibel(Db)test of firecrackers available in the market at PESO’s explosive facility in outskirts of the city recently.All the fire cracker sareunder limit.” When asked about the test of ‘green firecrackers’, he replied, “As per the Supreme Court of India’s order only authorised firecrackers will be allowed for use and sale in the market. Green firecrackers are alsocomesunderthesamecategory.”

 

“QRcodeisthereon theboxes which shows certification issued by PESO and CSIRNEERIregistrationaboutgreen firecrackers. Government has allowed only Green firecrackers during Diwali and Police Department is responsible to check the authentic one in the market,” said the senior official. KaustavChatterjee,Founder, Green Vigil Foundation said, “The word ‘green’ itself is confusing. These so called green firecrackers,cutdownpollutant emissions by only 30%, thus with balance 70% pollutant emission, how an cracker can be called green?” Duetothename‘green’,common man feels, these crackers are nonpolluting,hencegofor enhanced purchase. The advantage being taken by the sellers, who are selling normal crackers as green crackers at a highprice.Mostly,theQRcodes are not working. Finally, the burden is coming in the pocket of the common man, he added. “There should be a method of checking the authenticityof green crackers but authorities are also reluctant to have the saidcheck.Surprisingly, entire Nagpur experiences firecrackerswithintolerablesoundduring Diwali, largely crossing allowablesoundlevel, butduring checking, authorities always find all firecrackers are withinprescribed sound level. Unless we have a strict implementation of the rules with hefty fine to defaulters, we will not be able to curb air pollution,” said Chatterjee.