Summary:
Chennai, Oct 15 (PTI) Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Friday said the livelihood of about eight lakh workers involved in the firecracker manufacturing industry in the state was at stake and urged his counterparts in Delhi, Odisha, Rajasthan and Haryana to reconsider the blanket ban on sale of crackers.
Stating that the blanket ban is "not reasonable", the Chief Minister said the sale of crackers falling within the norms set by the Supreme Court and the National Green Tribunal may be permitted in their respective states.
In a letter to the Chief Ministers of the four states, a copy of which was released to the media here, Stalin pointed out that the COVID-19 pandemic had a crippling effect on the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector in the country and its impact on Tamil Nadu"s economy, which is largely dependent on MSMEs for growth and employment, has been significantly severe.
"My government is now in the process of reviving the sector through focussed interventions.
The firecracker industry, concentrated around the town of Sivakasi, is one of the most important industrial activities in the state," he explained.
Around eight lakh workers depend on the state"s firecracker industry for their livelihood, which is the largest in our country, he pointed out.