Casualties of systemic neglect

Recurring fireworks accidents expose a system where deadly lapses escape consequence

The explosion at a fireworks factory in Tamil Nadu’s Virudhunagar district, which killed 25 people – most of them women – occurred at a time when safety practices in the industry were projected as improving. Last month, at least 28 workers were killed in an accident at a firecracker manufacturing unit in Kakinada district in Andhra Pradesh.

Though these explosions are termed accidents, a pattern exists: the setting is already in place; all it takes is one spark, a costly lapse. The frequency of these incidents is alarming, exposing a systemic failure to prevent operational violations and ensure deterrence.

Many of these fireworks units have been operating outside of the regulatory framework. Often functioning in sheds and makeshift structures, they are not always registered. However, the non-adherence to the prescribed guidelines is almost standard across the legal and illegal operations.

The Virudhunagar unit was operating on a holiday without the required permission. The units are typically packed with workers. Many of them do not have the provisions of medical aid or the resources to shift injured workers to hospitals in the event of an accident. Large sections of the workers are unskilled and are engaged as temporary employees – a floating workforce that switches between odd jobs. Women constitute a major part of this workforce, and child labour is not uncommon.

The workers are unorganised and lack the power to negotiate their salaries and work-related requirements with their employers. In backward areas with limited industry and employment opportunities, the workers are left with minimal choice. While these social realities contribute to the situation, what is striking is the administrative apathy: the failure to de-risk operations despite recurring accidents and loss of life.

The Virudhunagar unit where the explosion occurred showed all the markings of what is wrong with the fireworks industry. State and district administrations, mandated to enforce the rules, have been complicit in the violations in the units. They have failed across the country’s fireworks clusters to ensure the required supervision. 

Courts have in the past blamed officials for the mishaps and pointed out that the guilty often escape because of inept investigation and prosecution. Governments announce compensation for the deaths of the workers but most families do not recover from the loss. Bringing all industrial operations under a stringent licensing system is the first, non-negotiable step towards reform. While the government steps up regulatory action, the industry must also be encouraged, and incentivised, to mechanise and reduce the number of workers.