Firecrackers could be called the incandescent heart of Diwali, with their splendour eliciting smiles and igniting collective joy. Yet, their journey from raw chemicals to radiant streaks of colour is a tale steeped in blood, sweat, and tragedy.
At the centre of firework manufacturing is Sivakasi, a small town in Tamil Nadu’s Virudhunagar district—ironically branded ‘Little Japan’—producing nearly 80 per cent of India’s fireworks.
The lifting of the NCR ban on firecrackers, coupled with the Supreme Court’s approval for “green crackers”, was welcomed by manufacturers who anticipated a surge in sales. However, while consumers may see fireworks as a mere product of festivity, for thousands of workers, it is a daily grind of peril. Their labour—invisible and undervalued—fuels the nation’s celebratory fervour at an unconscionable personal cost.
Ground reality
Over the years, there have been several reports about the difficulties—indeed, fatal injuries and even deaths—involved in firework manufacturing. In August 2025, a report was submitted before the southern bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) by the Virudhunagar Collector. According to the document, 89 accidents were recorded between 2022 and mid-2025, which led to 134 deaths and 89 injuries.
Firework manufacturing follows two types of licensing methods: the District Magistrate (DM) License and the Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO) License. According to the Virudhunagar report, PESO licensed-units account for 78 accidents (123 deaths and 87 injuries), while DM licensed-accounts account for 11 accidents (11 deaths and 2 injuries)
PESO, a department under the Union government, is reportedly strictly regulated. However, the ground reality is starkly different.
Among the 650 families that live in the Surangudi village of Sivakasi, most have lost either a limb or a loved one to fireworks. Many of the workers belong to the Dalit community. The political organisation Dalit Vidudhalai Iyakkam also alleges that the factory owners are refusing to take responsibility for the accidents. The victims of the accident return to work since they lack the skills and opportunities to engage in other, safer forms of work.
As a respite, the NGT has directed the central and state governments, along with factory owners, to compensate victims and their families. While the government has paid its part, many factory owners have failed to contribute their share of the compensation. The Tamil Nadu Fireworks and Amorces Manufacturers’ Association (TANFAMA), which is the local fireworks manufacturers’ organisation, has even challenged the NGT ruling in the Supreme Court. While they argued that this would affect the manufacturers in case of future accidents, the court has dismissed the appeal.
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Poverty, chemical exposure, child labour
Another important aspect that undercuts firework manufacturing is entrenched poverty. Most workers live on subsistence wages, enmeshed in debt and unaware of their statutory entitlement to minimum wage, the Provident Fund, or the Employees’ State Insurance.
For an industry globally classified as hazardous, these protections are not luxuries but necessities. Yet, in Sivakasi, they remain elusive. These labourers are not merely underpaid; they are unprotected, unorganised, and unheard.
To make matters worse, these workers handle hazardous chemicals such as aluminium powder, potassium nitrate, and sulphur with their bare hands. Most of the workers’ entire bodies are covered with chemicals by the end of the day. Their hands and nails are deeply contaminated with the particles, leading to ingestion of chemicals. This causes numerous breathing disorders such as asthma, tuberculosis, silicosis, skin allergies, and other internal organ issues. When a pregnant woman is exposed to these chemicals, she is more prone to give birth to children with congenital defects. The workers’ overall reproductive health is also affected.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration of the US has laid out a set of principles that can be considered the global standards of fireworks manufacturing. These principles mandate precautionary measures such as the provision of PPE kits, gloves, goggles, and headcaps. Workers in Sivakasi are, however, made to handle firecrackers with their bare hands in factories riddled with asbestos.
Fire safety precautions are poorly implemented in these factories, although they are the simplest and most effective mechanisms for preventing fatalities. For instance, automated industrial water sprinklers can be put in place, activating when they detect fire or smoke. These are still absent in many units, which only have fire extinguishers and water buckets, making it hard to mitigate fires effectively.
Another bleak truth is that the fireworks industry uses child labour. Reports in 2013 pointed out that out of 1,00,000 workers, 45,000 were below 14 years of age. Over time, these numbers have come down. This may be partly due to government vigilance and partly the growing desire of parents to ensure their children receive education and better employment opportunities.
TANFAMA claims that industries have not been employing children since 1982. According to experts from ‘Bachpan Bachao Andolan’, however, child labour has merely been reorganised. Many women and children are still making fireworks in hidden spaces, such as homes. Strict inspections and actions are still imperative to curb this ongoing practice.
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Transforming the industry
Manufacturing methods in Sivakasi diverge considerably from global standards for manual labour. The rest of the world—barring Mexico—has turned to automating the fireworks industry.
It is clear that the Indian fireworks industry needs to make the shift to automation, in view of the many hazards of this work. If Sivakasi is to maintain its moniker as ‘Little Japan’, it must match Japan’s technological and labour standards. Automation, modernised production lines, and drastically reduced human exposure to hazardous chemicals are not just reforms but moral imperatives.
Considering the rising concerns about the environmental implications of fireworks, alternative employment opportunities are essential. Sivakasi, being a labour-intensive city, can transfer its working force to other factories where the labourers can get safe, secure, and legitimate pay for the amount of work they do. The existing industries, such as the printing press, can be incentivised more.
Recent trends show that Sivakasi is increasingly participating in the food industry. Media reports showed that the people of Sivakasi involved themselves in sweets and savouries production for this Diwali—a welcome shift. A dedicated scheme with upgradation funds for transition should be formulated by the Centre and state governments to transform this industry, as well as to mobilise people and manufacturers toward other opportunities.
As the rest of India revels in Diwali’s luminescent joy, the silent architects of that light must not remain unseen and unheard. We must hear their voices, help solve their grievances, and guarantee them a safe, secure future.
Karti P Chidambaram is a Member of Parliament for Sivaganga, and a Member of the All India Congress Committee. His X handle is @KartiPC. Views are personal.
(Edited by Prasanna Bachchhav)