This Diwali have fun with green crackers in Hyd

Hyderabad: This Diwali may see reduced air and noise pollution. As hardly a few days are left for the festival of lights, once again this year green crackers have hit the market.

According to traders due to less production of green crackers and hike in prices of crackers by 30-35 per cent more than the last year may affect their business, as the demand of green crackers is on the rise.

According to traders, rocket shots which were sold for Rs 80-130 per box last year, now cost Rs 170. The cost of sparklers and pencil crackers sold last year for Rs 100 is up to Rs 130-140 per box. Small anar which was sold for Rs 60 per box last year, is now being sold for Rs 100.

Maink Rao, owner, Bhavani Crackers, said "as per the Supreme Court orders, this year all licensed dealers have planned to sell green firecrackers. They have restricted manufacture of synthetic firecrackers, as it is low in emission. But this time, our main concern is production of crackers was very low due to bad weather and also due to rising prices of raw material, availability of metals is very low. As such the manufacturers have stopped importing metals from China, as per the Central government order.

As during the last two years we had a very low sale now we are hoping to make it up, as demand is high but production is low; there is also a 30 percent hike in prices of crackers. This may affect our business."

K Venugopal , president,Telangana Fire Workers' Dealers Association (TFWDA), said "based on the guidelines given by the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute(NEERI), we have manufactured green crackers. These crackers will reduce 30 percent pollution and are less dangerous because they are free of harmful chemicals. As chemical composition has changed. As before, for making crackers, barium nitrate was used. Now for producing crackers monochloride salts are being used. We are hoping this year we will have a fruitful business, as the demand for crackers is high, but our concern is less production."

"This year there will be green flowerpots, ground chakras, sky shots and pencils available, but due to less production, we have only 80 per cent stocks as compared to last year. This year people are very much excited about buying crackers. As just a week is left, we have received many orders from customers," said Raghavendra Choudhary of Hyderabad Fireworks, Kukatpally.