A string of violations of safety protocols in firecracker outlets have come to the fore, in inspections carried out by the Revenue Department at several firecracker outlets in Hosur.
In a report to the District Collector and communicated to all licensed firecracker outlets as a circular, the Sub-Collector of Hosur, R. Saranya, has flagged a raft of violations in the outlets: starting from the non-display of cautionary dos and don’ts boards, to the major violations of excess stock and the absence of firefighting equipment.
Firecracker outlets have come under heat, following an explosion in an outlet on July 29, 2023 that killed 9 persons and injured 11 others. In its aftermath, a series of inspections were carried out at outlets and godowns. One of these inspections earlier this week, resulted in an explosion at a godown injuring three persons including the District Revenue Officer and tahsildar.
The circular, a copy of which was obtained by The Hindu, flagged excess stock of firecrackers far above the permissible limits that outlets were stocking, as well as the absence of fire extinguishing equipment and the absence of sand buckets and water tanks in the vicinity, at some outlets. Emergency exits of some outlets were found locked or unusable, with firecracker stocks stacked up, blocking the exit; electrical boxes were found exposed with the wires jutting out; fire extinguishers where available, had expired permits; many outlets had stocks of expired firecrackers and many outlets were found to be operating without the display of the blueprint and the license issued to the outlet.
The Sub Collector has also flagged the stocking of firecrackers at some residential homes that had doubled up as extensions of the firecracker outlets, endangering neighbourhoods.
However, the report indicated that many firecracker outlets were found to be shuttered, making inspections impossible. The administration has now issued a warning to all licensed firecracker outlets to remain open between August 16 and August 30, 2023 for the police and revenue officials to carry out joint inspections.
The firecracker outlets have been warned of criminal action if they are found to be operating without a license, or are clandestinely manufacturing crackers at homes.
