Mumbai civic body allows firecrackers only on Diwali day: Traders upset, activists welcome it

After the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Monday prohibited citizens from bursting firecrackers at public and private places, the Mumbai and Thane districts’

After the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Monday prohibited citizens from bursting firecrackers at public and private places, the Mumbai and Thane districts’ Fireworks Dealers’ Welfare Association has said that the decision would lead to excess inventory and close to 60% interest loss. The ban has been exempted for the main day of Diwali which falls on November 14 (Saturday), when Mumbaiites can burst two variants (sparklers and flower pots) of firecrackers.

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“Every day we are getting fresh guidelines. This is not how a business can function. It is wrong to take such decisions so close to the festival date,” said Minesh Mehta, secretary of the association, adding, “Considering the Maharashtra government has already urged citizens to celebrate a safe Diwali and reduce the use of firecrackers, there was no need for BMC to implement a separate decision to ban them.”

Raju Ghone, a dealer from Kurla, said that the customers who had already purchased firecrackers’ from his shops at south and central Mumbai prior to the BMC’s decision are now coming back to return the fireworks. “There is absolute chaos and confusion in Mumbai after the decision. We are already running on 80% losses this year, and on top of that, buyers who purchased the crackers are returning them and demanding their money back. We are not sure how we’ll manage,” said Ghone.

Mehta added that many dealers pay manufacturers for the fireworks at the end of the festive season. “They won’t be able to that now. We’re anticipating that our warehouses won’t be able to hold excess inventory till next year, even as a 60% interest loss cannot be made up for following this ban. We’re also facing added pressure from the manufacturers at Sivakasi, Tamil Nadu, as many states have banned crackers this year,” he said.

A spokesperson from Essabhai Fireworks Pvt Ltd, the largest firecracker dealer in south Mumbai, said, “60% of our stock only has majorly light emitting (low sound and smoke) crackers. Flower pots and sparklers account for less than 10% of our inventory. So far, we had only three days of good sales and this week we were expecting to see the most sales. But now, we are worried after BMC’s decision.”

Meanwhile, citizens are divided over the decision.

Girgaum resident Abhinav Bandekar said, “For once, we hope this Diwali would be a quiet one, especially after all the issues Mumbai has already faced this year.”

However, Lokhandwala resident K Bharadwaj believes that the BMC must have made the decision earlier. “I had already purchased firecrackers worth ₹10,000 for my children. There should have been prior intimation by BMC on such a decision. This is harassment,” he said.

Independent experts said restrictive measures – either a complete ban on crackers or limiting timing for bursting them on Diwali night – were needed to reduce episodic pollution and the chemical loading of the environment. “Mumbai has been in the grip of a serious Covid-19 crisis. Therefore, there is a need to take action to deepen public understanding of the risk. But regulatory action on cultural practices is difficult to enforce as we have seen in the past. Regulations can be effective only through strong public awareness and support. Outreach programmes and medical evidences and advisories are critically important to build support for such measures,” said Anumita Roy Chowdhury, executive director (research and advocacy), Centre for Science and Environment, Delhi.

Environmentalists said the use of crackers should not be permitted under any circumstances. “One violator can cause health complications to thousands of residents. The responsibility to strictly implement the time of use (of firecrackers) falls squarely on the government,” said Sumaira Abdulali, convener, Awaaz Foundation, an organisation that carries out firecracker noise testing.

Chowdhury said the combined crisis of the Covid-19 pandemic and winter pollution presents a special challenge, and this required emergency response. “Our healthcare systems are already stressed and cannot take additional pressure. Even short-term bursting of crackers can increase toxic exposure for the ailing and the vulnerable,” she said.