The government of India has warned against the import of illegal chemicals used in making fireworks and sought citizens’ help in tracking them.
“Possession and sale of fireworks of foreign origin is illegal and punishable
under the law,” it said in a statement today.
“Information about possession and/or sale of such fireworks may be reported to the nearest Police Station for suitable action.”
The government said complaints have been received from local fireworks manufacturers that some people are importing a hazardous chemical, Potassium Chlorate.
There have also been several reports of seizures of large quantities of firecrackers illegally imported from China at various Indian ports.
“This is a dangerous and hazardous chemical and can ignite or explode spontaneously.
“The manufacture, possession, use, sale, etc. of any explosive containing sulphur or sulphurate in admixture with any chlorate is banned in the country,” the Department of Industrial Policy said in a statement.