A day to go for Deepavali, the mood of revelry is missing in Hyderabad. There are fewer makeshift shops on the streets, thanks to a ban on bursting of crackers by the police following the Supreme Court orders. Strict protocol on movement of money and goods has also impacted the celebratory mood. Stall owners say that they have a shortage of supply from Standard Fireworks in Sivakasi, Tamil Nadu. However, the State Fire Department said that the number of cracker shops in Telangana State have doubled in numbers since 2020 from 3,494 stalls to 6,610 this year.
Stall owners shared how the supply of sparklers, the most in-demand crackers, has been low this year. “There has been a 30% dip in supply from Tamil Nadu,” said Raghavendra, who runs Hyderabad Crackers in Banjara Hills. “Even with an increase in rates, of about 20% from last year, the shortage of supply has affected the business in both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. In 2022, there was sudden supply on the day of the festival, which gave a sudden boost to business. With the restrictive movement of goods due to the Election Code, we are facing severe shortage this year,” he said.
Another stall owner from Sikh Village shared how the sale has been gradually increasing. “Earlier we used to have packed, bulk orders going out from a week before the festival but this time the footfall is increasing as the day is nearing. Being a weekend, we are expecting a lot of last minute run-ins even on the day of the festival. Moreover, the rates have also increased now. A ₹90 cracker is now ₹150, which is making us hopeful to have an overall good business year,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Director General of Telangana State Fire Department Y. Nagi Reddy said that the public must remain vigilant while bursting crackers. “All kinds of leaves have been cancelled for the personnel of the department and we instructed the personnel to stay alert and provide better service to the people of Telangana. Senior officers are instructed to stay in the headquarters on the day of the festival and monitor the situation,” he said.
Another official from the Fire Department explained how the majority of firework-related eye injuries can leave a person permanently blind. “The continuous smoke from cracker explosions might irritate the eyes or make them water. One must avoid bottle rockets, which are regarded as the riskiest cracker variety, keep a safe distance from burning crackers, wear safety goggles, and refrain from wearing contact lenses while breaking crackers,” advised the fire officials.
