STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI: Barpeta Atosbazi Shilpa Samabay Samiti Ltd (BASSSL) president Gopjit Pathak claimed that the firecrackers of Barpeta are safe as the factories there do not use barium nitrate. The Supreme Court of India banned barium nitrate for its high explosion.
Talking to The Sentinel, Pathak said, "We use potassium nitrate, sulphur, aluminium powder and charcoal in manufacturing firecrackers, but not barium nitrate. However, the manufacturers have to bear the brunt as the prices of all these raw materials have almost doubled. Potassium nitrate comes from Rajasthan at Rs 220 per kg against Rs 120 per kg earlier. Sulphur comes from Maharashtra at Rs 150 per kg against Rs 100 per kg earlier. We bring aluminium dust from Tamilnadu at Rs 800 per kg against Rs 450 per kg earlier. Charcoal comes from Meghalaya at the rate of Rs 60 per kg against Rs 30 per kg earlier. Since we cannot hike the prices proportionate to the rise in prices of raw materials, our profits get the beating. Since the Barpeta firecrackers have a reputation, we cannot compromise the quality. Of course, the demand for our firecrackers has gone up. We have received orders worth Rs 1 crore from upper and lower Assam."
He said, "Since our thrust is on kolgos, fuljhari etc., our products do not cause sound pollution."
When asked if the firecrackers of Barpeta come under green crackers, Pathak said, "The CSIR National Environmental Engineering Research Institute defines fireworks as firecrackers or green crackers. We have not tested our products there. It is a costly test for us."
Also Watch: