Tamil Nadu: People flock to markets to purchase firecrackers in Sivakasi amid SC green signal in Delhi

Sivakasi (Tamil Nadu) [India], October 20 (ANI): Markets in Tamil Nadu's Sivakasi area are bustling as people flock to purchase firecrackers for Diwali this year, marking a significant revival in production and sales following the Supreme Court green signal.
Prabhakaran, a firecracker manufacturer and seller from Sivakasi, told ANI that the year began with slow production, but orders picked up substantially after June.
"Due to several accidents and ongoing inspections by authorities, many factories were temporarily suspended, causing a brief lag in production. But during the final phase of the season, everything stabilised, and we can confidently say that sales have increased by around 20 per cent compared to last year," he said.

He further noted that the Supreme Court's recent decision to lift the ban on firecracker sales in Delhi-NCR has opened opportunities for last-minute sales.
"We are not yet sure how much of Delhi's demand we will be able to meet this time, but we are confident that production will increase to meet the firecracker requirements of Delhi and the NCR region. With sales already up by 20% this year and the Supreme Court allowing both sale and bursting of firecrackers in Delhi and NCR, production for the next season has started with strong confidence that sales will be even higher next year," he told ANI.
Elangovan, State General Secretary of the Tamil Nadu Fireworks Traders Association, extended Diwali greetings on behalf of the association and expressed satisfaction over this year's festive sales.

"Following Supreme Court guidelines, only green firecrackers were manufactured this year, and sales have been excellent across India. Particularly in Delhi, where bursting was permitted for five days, people celebrated with great enthusiasm," he told ANI.
Elangovan highlighted that, unlike last year, northern states did not face restrictions, contributing to strong sales.
"If this trend continues, we believe firecracker production in Sivakasi will further increase. Similar to last year, firecracker sales have reached Rs 6,000 crore this year. We are confident that this upward trend will continue, and production will rise even further in 2026," he said.
Meanwhile on October 16, Supreme Court relaxed its earlierblanket prohibition on firecrackers in the Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR) region and permitted the sale and use of green firecrackers, with some conditions.
The Court ordered that bursting of green firecrackers shall be confined between 6 am and 7 am and 8 pm and 10 pm on the two days, i.e., the one before and on the Diwali day.
The apex court made it clear that the relaxation is only on a test case basis and the same shall be only for the period specified.The apex court said that there has to be a "balanced approach" between celebrating festivities and protecting the environment. (ANI)