For several years now, all public campaigns during Diwali have focused on the need for consumers to exercise caution while bursting firecrackers. While that?s absolutely necessary, it?s equally important to warn manufacturers and retailers against sale of sub-standard firecrackers. And that?s exactly what the consumer courts have done. By awarding compensation to a consumer for the burns he suffered, the courts have sent out a clear message that manufacturers as well as retailers are liable for mishaps arising out of poor quality.
The origin of the consumer court?s order dates back to 1997. A day before the festival of lights, Shivan Kumar purchased 24 flower pots and even procured a proper cash receipt for it. However, the next day, the celebrations in his house in Pune turned sour. The cause was the ?flower pot? that he had purchased. Even as he lit it, it exploded like a bomb, resulting in Kumar sustaining severe burns on his right hand, leading to hospitalisation.
The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum in Pune, before which Kumar filed a complaint, awarded Rs 50,000 as compensation along with 18 per cent interest, calculated from the day of the accident. The Maharashtra State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission upheld this but reduced the rate of interest from 18 to 12 per cent. The apex consumer court too concurred (M/S Anil Fire Works Factory & Or vs Shivan Kumar, RP no 2137 of 2003, decided on September 23, 2003).
If you look at the quality specifications for conical anaars formulated by the Bureau of Indian Standards, you will know the reason for such an explosion. Besides specifying the quantity and the exact composition of the chemicals to be filed in and the quality of the outer casing, the standards say that while filling the pyrotechnic composition in the flower pot, it is most important to avoid formation of cavities or sections of loose powder or air bags that may cause an explosion. If this is not strictly adhered to, the anaar could well explode.
Unfortunately, this is a fact of which not many consumers are aware. In fact, studies conducted in the Nineties by Prof Dinesh Mohan and his team at the Centre for Biomedical Engineering, IIT, had identified anaars as the culprits in 96 per cent of burn injuries during Diwali. The consumer court order should force manufacturers to pay more heed to quality. It should also alert retailers to their responsibility towards public safety. For the consumers, the message is clear: pyrotechnic devices spell danger, particularly if they are of poor quality. So play safe.
