Rajahmundry: Firecracker traders to be in safety radar

Rajahmundry: Legal metrology authorities pan to conduct sudden, surprice inspection of stalls selling dire crackers to ensure safety of people in East Godavari.

Traders have begun to set up stalls for selling firecrackers. The authorities have formed teams that began inspecting the stalls to see that the traders were complying with all norms of Packaged Commodities Rules, 2011. 

Traders generally procure the fireworks from Sivakasi in Tamil Nadu and from Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh and stock them for sale just a few days before Diwali this year to be celebrated on November 7. 

Trader have been ordered to sell the fireworks at a price not higher than the maximum retail price on the packaging keeping the tough competition from others in mind.

Besides, locally produced fireworks are also available in the market that are relatively cheaper. Authorities will be concentrating on label specifications on fireworks like name and address of manufacturer, details of licence, date of manufacture, MRP, net weight and details of content in the pack. 

Some wholesale traders procure fireworks in bulk quantity and sell packs in retail. Most of these bulk packages would not be having  any label for smaller quantities specifying details of manufacture, content etc. The authorities insist that this was against the norms.

They will book cases against traders dealing withe such items. They have been advising people to purchase only branded fireworks having all details on the labels so that they will be safe enough to be used as the manufacturers while making them had complied with all safety norms to avoid any accidental explosion causing burn injuries to those who handle them.

The authorities are strictly discouraging the usage of fireworks made locally without complying with safety norms as they explode and cause injuries to the people and cause huge damage.

East Godavari Legal Metrology deputy controller M.N.S. Madhuri said, “We will be taking up inspection of stalls where firecrackers will be sold and book cases under Rule 6 of Packaged Commodities Rules, 2011 for violation of norms to ensure the people celebrate Diwali safely.”