VIRUDHUNAGAR: On Thursday night, M Prakash, a resident of Anaikuttam, heard repeated, explosion-like noise from a nearby area. When he went to the terrace of his house, he spotted continuous blasts going off on a government poramboke land, a few kilometres away.
Prakash, along with a few of his neighbours, who reached the spot, realised that the explosions were triggered by the illegal burning of firecracker waste in the open. The residents immediately alerted the fire and rescue services personnel in Sivakasi, who rushed to the spot and doused the fire.
Amathur police said there are four to five cracker units in the surrounding area, and the exact source of the waste is uncertain. Two of the SOPs to be followed in firework factories include ensuring the availability of at least two burning pits for the disposal of waste and following all safety precautions while disposing of the waste.
A revenue official told TNIE that the district is home to over 1,100 firecracker units, and it is mandatory for both PESO and DRO-licensed units to dispose of waste only in pits within the factory premises. “We issue licences to firecracker units only if they have burning pits.
We recommend that every unit maintain pits that are at least seven feet in depth with bricks at the bottom and dispose of the waste on a daily basis to avoid mishap,” the official said. “Inspections are being carried out by VAOs to identify units that flout the norms,” he said.