Sivakasi fireworks industry: Workers toil and sweat to fight odds

Sivakasi: The approximately three-lakh strong workforce in the firecracker industry particularly those in unlicensed, grey units everyday face chemical hazard and a possibility of detrimental health effects.

With whitish grey powder-chemical compounds that go into the making of firecrackers- all over and his eyes appearing red, a worker hurries to take a bath in the factory premises following completion of the day's work as a delay would mean difficulty in removing the 'powder' from sore like spots over his neck, chest and abdomen.

A veteran worker of a unit off Sengamalathupatti, he applies coconut oil, sitting under a tree after bath. "It gives a soothing effect," he says and does not want to be named. A woman worker has boil-like small bumps all over her face but chooses not to answer. Workers wrapping small chemical packs with jute thread for atom bomb crackers, stick an adhesive like paper over their fingers, as continuous friction causes skin irritation and rashes. "But it does not help always. The cover slips away," says a worker.

Most workers could be seen either directly touching or handling chemical ingredients of some kind or the other during several levels of the manufacturing processes. Industry people say that hazardous process like filling and mixing are carried out in safe, separate enclosures early in the morning and such tasks are assigned only to trained men. All other processes are non-hazardous, they say.

In some factories, workers say they get Rs 20 as "banana allowance" to eat banana to aid easy digestion and "help neutralise" adverse effects in view of exposure to chemicals. Owners of firework units say they "take good care of the health of employees which includes Employees State Insurance cover," and some point to periodic health camps as well.

Velusamy, Venkitakaruman and other workers, who have spent over 20 years in the organised industry told PTI, "though not all of us develop allergies or other issues, a section of workers develop some health issues." Velusamy, who recently underwent a coronary bypass surgery in an ESI facility says with a chuckle, "chemicals should suit your body constitution, else it may be difficult; skills and endurance are needed to sustain.

" For all the hard work, workers approximately get anywhere between Rs 290 to Rs 500-Rs 570 per day as wages and a bonus ranging between 20 and 27 per cent in addition to Provident Fund and Employees State Insurance Scheme cover. The pay structure is only indicative and applies to organised, licensed and properly run units and about 55 per cent of the workforce is women.

Unlike well-defined and mandated practices to ensure safety in regulated, licenced units, workers in unlicensed and illegal firecracker manufacturing cottage industry are exposed to grave hazards and a chunk of accidents, at least over a dozen mishaps with many casualties over a span of about 3 years, were reported from grey units.

Apart from some people who manufacture crackers at homes without any approval, illegal units involve a cobweb of ties between the original licensee and several others, who actually manufacture firecrackers without statutory permissions.

A former worker of firecracker industry, A Rajkumar recalls that his friend was among the 20 people killed in a fireworks unit at nearby Achankulam in February. Among the victims was a young, pregnant woman.

On such illegal units, a senior Virudhunagar district official told PTI that though action was being taken continuously, viewing it only from standpoints like enforcement would be simplistic. Requesting anonymity, he stressed on more awareness on risks and a roadmap for safe and better remunerative opportunities.

"Accidents can also be prevented by going in for mechanisation and we are working with the industry on it," the official said. Asked about illegal units, Managing Director, Ayyan Fireworks, G Abiruben batted for strict action. On mechanisation, he says, "arrangements are already on in the (regulated, duly licensed units in organised sector) fireworks industry to mechanise the chemical mixing and filling process. At the same time, mechanisation will not lead to job losses as the automated mixing machine will be handled by the worker who did it manually."

In his company, such mechanisation is already in place which ensures absolute safety, he points out. The industry is also exploring other manufacturing processes that may be mechanised, he says. Ayya Nadar, grandfather of Abiruben was a pioneer who launched the first firecracker manufacturing unit in Sivakasi almost a century ago. While mechanisation is debated by officials and industry captains, for many workers it is not a decisive factor to bring their sons and daughters to work in firecracker manufacturing units.

Such men and women have been slogging away for years together to ensure that their children did well in studies and secured employment in non-fireworks sector. "Both my daughters are nurses and my son is a mechanical engineer and all the three are employed. I am happy. My children need not work in the firecracker industry. Let this work end with me and my wife," says 48-year old K Karuppiah.

Similar is the case with several other workers including M S Velusamy, with their children successfully graduating in diverse streams and getting employment in other sectors.

Along with his wife, Karuppiah travels 70 kilometres (up and down) every day in a company operated bus to reach his workplace near Sivakasi, from his village, off Watrap. However, not all workers could manage to send their children to colleges or to other fields, like this 46-year old woman, working in a unit near Pallapatti. Her job is to inject chemicals through a metal tube and suspend two-feet long 'Rope Sparkler' (popularly known as Sattai in Tamil, which means a whip) from a ceiling of endless hooks. The lives of such people are hanging in the balance just like the dangling rope sparklers.