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Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Friday said the livelihood of nearly eight lakh workers involved in the cracker manufacturing industry in the state is at stake and urged his counterparts in Delhi, Odisha, Rajasthan and Haryana to reconsider the complete ban on the sale of firecrackers. did.
Stating that a complete ban is “not justified”, the Chief Minister said that sale of firecrackers that fall within the norms laid down by the Supreme Court and the National Green Tribunal may be allowed in their respective states.
In a letter to the chief ministers of four states, a copy of which was released to the media here, Stalin said the COVID-19 pandemic has had a severe impact on the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) sector. Its impact on the economy of the country and Tamil Nadu, which is largely dependent on MSMEs for growth and employment, has been quite severe.
“My government is now in the process of reviving the sector through focused interventions. The cracker industry centered around the city of Sivakasi is one of the most important industrial activities in the state,” he explained.
He said that about eight lakh workers depend on the state’s cracker industry, which is the largest in our country, for their livelihood.
Stating that the ban imposed by four Indian states on the sale of firecrackers during this Diwali festival was brought to his notice, the Chief Minister said, “I understand that you took this decision based on concerns about air pollution.” Is.”
“I would like to draw your attention to the fact that the Supreme Court has already banned certain categories of polluting firecrackers and now, very low emission green crackers are being manufactured. Therefore, banning firecrackers completely is not justified. This kind of restriction is not prevalent in other countries,” Stalin said.
Moreover, if such restrictions are imposed by other states as well, the entire industry will be shut down, putting the livelihood of about eight lakh people at risk.
“You will also appreciate that bursting of crackers is an integral part of Indian festivals, especially Diwali. A balanced approach which gives due respect to environment, livelihood and public health is possible and necessary,” the chief minister said.
“I sincerely urge you to reconsider the complete ban on the sale of firecrackers,” he said.
He requested that the sale of firecrackers falling within the norms laid down by the Supreme Court and the NGT may be allowed in their respective states.
Read also: How MK Stalin can use gorilla politics to save power in Tamil Nadu
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