Lucknow: The anti-cracker campaign in run up to Diwali has grown over the years and sensing which way the wind is blowing, firecracker manufacturers have come up with an "eco-friendly" version which will let you enjoy the festival without worrying about the cost to the nature.
"People have become aware of environmental issues, so we have introduced a wide range of eco-friendly crackers which are safe, non-polluting and cheaper," Gulsher Azad, who runs a wholesale business, told reporters.
Additional Director General of Police Shailjakant Mishra, who is spearheading the anti-cracker campaign, said as per rough estimates, crackers worth Rs 30 crore go up in
smoke in the state capital every year.
"Other than money, the amount of noise and air pollution, besides waste created by the firecrackers on Diwali poses serious threat to the environment and human health," he
said.
"The Supreme Court norms, limiting the intensity of crackers at 125 decibels, are being flouted with impunity which can affect hearing ability of a person," he said.
Azad, however, claimed that unlike traditional fire-crackers, which emit smoke and fire, these eco-friendly crackers work on vacuum method.
"As these crackers are based on vacuum combustion technique, no smoke or fire is emitted, making them safe even for small children. These crackers only make sound with
colourful pieces of paper," Azad said.
"People can enjoy bursting these crackers inside their homes as well," Awadhesh Shukla, another firecracker dealer said.
He said these crackers are available in different sizes and shapes with attractive brand names like pokemon, mango magic, rainbow smoke, sweet sixteen and vacuum magic.
This new version, manufactured at Shivakasi in Tamil Nadu, is cheaper by 20 to 30 per cent than the traditional cracker.
"While traditional firecrackers range between Rs 100 per piece upto Rs 10,000, these eco-friendly cracker are available for Rs 40. The costliest cracker is priced at Rs
1,500," Azad said.
He claimed that due to the anti-cracker campaign, sale of traditional firecrackers has declined in the last two years.
"As traditional firecrackers sometimes result in injuries and fire incident, people avoid using them. But with the introduction of eco-friendly range, the market has picked
up again. These crackers are in great demand," he said.
The demand for eco-friendly firecrackers can be gauged from the fact that the manufacturers have stopped taking further orders, he said.
Bureau Report
First Published: Friday, October 09, 2009, 12:04