Ban on Import of Chinese Crackers

Ministry of Environment and Forests20-December, 2011 15:47 IST

Ban on Import of Chinese Crackers

Government has not issued licence for import of firecrackers of Chinese origin under the Explosives Rules, 2008 implemented by the Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO), Nagpur. Irrespective of the country of manufacture, a firecracker when fired successfully, releases sulphur dioxide if the firecracker has sulphur as one of the ingredients. There is no proposal to ban the import of fireworks of Chinese origin. Manufacture, possession and import of any explosives consisting of or containing Sulphur or Sulphurate in admixture with Chlorate of Potassium or any other Chlorate is prohibited in India vide Notification of Government of India No. GSR 64(E), dated 27.01.1992. Further, noise limits for sound emitting firecrackers at manufacturing stage have been prescribed vide Notification of Government of India No. GSR 682(E), dated 05.10.1999, issued under Environment (Protection) Rules, 1986. Both these notifications are enforced by PESO. The Minister of State for Environment and Forests (independent charge) Shrimati Jayanthi Natarajan gave this information in a written reply to a question by Prof. Anil Kumar Sahani in Rajya Sabha today.