Padampur, known as Odisha’s Sivakasi, and its adjoining villages of Trilochanpur, Mahajanpur, Purbakachha, Madhyakachha, Hatikana, Champati, Bahadalpatna and Jangapatna under Salepur block are yet again abuzz with activity.
With Diwali just a day away, people from nearby areas are thronging these villages for crackers.
Locals said the tradition of cracker making in Padampur is over 100 years old and was started by one Ismail Khan who taught the technique to Sachidananda Mohanty, Nanda Swain and Gandharba Swain.
Every year, around 2,500 people of 500 families belonging to both Hindu and Muslim communities manufacture crackers. This time, they have been working for the past two months to meet the cracker demand.
In Padampur, it’s largely unorganised labour which is involved in preparing crackers. Though called Sivakasi of Odisha, this cottage industry is yet to get recognition from the State Government. This despite the fact that almost every household in the village has been into the business for several years.
The dedication to manufacture reflects in the fact that every member of the family, including children, contribute their mite.
Being a seasonal occupation, most of the children of these villages bunk classes from Ganesh puja to help their family members and add to the family income. Children also sell the crackers alongside roads between Padampur and Paga-Bahugram here.
As per reports, over 30 crore ‘tala fatkas’ were manufactured in these villages before the 1999 super-cyclone and transported to different parts of the State and outside.
After the natural calamity, availability of raw materials like palm leaves, wood of Calotropis plant reduced thereby affecting production of fire crackers.
The profit margin too has dipped. Besides, the involvement of middlemen and businessmen has hampered the profit margin of the manufacturers. These middlemen buy the crackers from villagers at low rates and sell the same in open market at high rates.
This year, the profit margin from crackers has been aimed at ` 20 crore. And to a large extent, cracker dealers are hopeful of achieving this target. “The climate condition has been favourable this time and we are expecting good returns,” said Gagan Mahanty, a fireworks manufacturer of Padampur.
The villagers, however, lamented that they are yet to get licence for the trade. Of the 2,500 people, only five have licence to manufacture crackers.
In the last seven years, eight persons have died and more than 15 persons injured in Padampur alone due to blasts in manufacturing units.
“We would benefit if the business gets cottage industry status and a fire station is established in Padmapur,” a villager said.