Visakhapatnam: With the Diwali fast approaching on October 31, police are grappling with a rise in illegal firecracker manufacturing units across north coastal Andhra Pradesh, with Vizianagaram district emerging as a hotspot. Total 41 cases have been registered in the region till date.
Vizianagaram superintendent of police (SP) Vakul Jindal told Deccan Chronicle that they have seized firecrackers worth ₹6.74 lakh during searches at the illegal firecracker units. 29 cases have been registered and 123 persons bound over.
“We have identified illegal manufacturers and are binding them over, so that they do not supply illegal firecrackers to people during the ensuing Diwali festival,” Jindal stated.
Anakapalli is renowned for producing high-quality illegal firecrackers that are popular in Visakhapatnam city. Anakapalli SP Tuhin Sinha confirms that 10 cases have been registered against illegal manufacturers and sellers in the area till date.
The situation varies across the north Andhra districts. Srikakulam has reported only two illegal units, with notices served to four accused. Permits have been issued to 25 legitimate vendors. Vizag police commissioner Sankhabrata Bagchi says there is only one legal unit, which has set up authorised stalls in zones 1 and 2.
Most concerns are over the interior villages in Sabbavaram mandal that has witnessed numerous accidents and fatalities. Illegal firecracker units are also thriving in Anakapalli Rural, Devarapalli, Narsipatnam, Achutapuram and Kasimkota mandals.
The human cost of these illegal operations is staggering. Sources say about 60 lives have been lost due to explosions and fires in illegal firecracker units across north coastal Andhra Pradesh in the past four years. The deadliest incident occurred in Srikakulam when a cracker storage shed exploded in 2005, claiming 14 lives.
A retired fire official, speaking on condition of anonymity, explained that illegal manufacturers typically source raw materials from the open market without proper verification. "Crackers are manufactured illegally in makeshift sheds and thatched houses in isolated places, often employing workers at low wages with no safety oversight," the retired official stated.
Crackers produced illegally are not only used for Diwali but also during other celebrations, including Ganesh immersion, Dasara, weddings and political rallies. This highlights that the dangerous illegal trade is round the year.
