Post Batala tragedy, drive on to identify illegal stockists

Tribune News Amritsar
Amritsar, September 6 

The police and the civil administration seem to have woken up following the cracker blasts in Batala that claimed the lives of around 23 persons and left 19 injured.

The police have started a campaign to identify illegal manufacturers and stockists of firecrackers in the city.

Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police JS Walia said there was only one legal stockist in the holy city and stern action would be taken against those who were found involved in manufacturing and stockpiling firecrackers in an illegal manner. He said the police had already initiated action against illegal manufacturers/ stockists.

Anngarh locality, situated on the outskirts of the city and infamous for rampant drug abuse, was also a hub of illegal manufacturing of firecrackers. It was known as mini Sivakasi of Amritsar (Sivakasi is a town situated in Tamil Nadu which is known for manufacturing firecrackers, matchbox and printing industries).

Nevertheless, the police claimed that due to stringent norms and action taken by the administration, a majority of illegal manufacturers had been shifted to some other places. “Even then we are asking them to come and get their godowns and buildings checked by the police. Only yesterday, the police checked a godown and confiscated around 500 firecrackers from the complex. A case has been registered against him,” said Walia.

Ahead of Diwali festivities, firecrackers are sold at every nook and corner of the city. The instances of blasts in cracker units in the city indicate that many residents were involved in its manufacturing in a clandestine manner.