Pressure mounts on Bengal Police to check over 5,000 firecracker factories declared illegal

Kolkata, April 4
After the blast at an illegal firecracker factory at Patharpratima in the West Bengal's South 24 Parganas district earlier this week, pressure is mounting on state police to check the status of over 5,000 such factories declared illegal two years ago.

A couple of months after a blast at a similar illegal firecracker factory at Egra in the East Midnapore district in May 2023, a meeting of the state government's high-power committee took place to review the situation regarding such mushrooming illegal entities.

As per the minutes of the meeting conducted in August of 2023, sources said as many as 5,556 illegal firecracker manufacturing outlets were then identified as existing throughout the state.

Now, after the Patharpratima blast, questions are being raised on whether the police had been prompt enough to regularly monitor these illegal firecracker factories -- whether they have closed their shops or have started renewed operations after remaining silent for some time.

This particular question is being raised considering the antecedents of the arrested accused owner of the Patharpratima factory. Chandrakanta Banik started his renewed operations even after being arrested in 2022 on charges of trading illegal firecrackers. His application for a “green licence” was also denied in 2023 following objections from the district administration because of antecedents.

That is exactly where the question is surfacing. If Banik could start his renewed operations even after his known antecedents, what is the guarantee that many owners of these 5,556 illegal firecracker manufacturing outlets have not done similarly?

Investigation has revealed that after being denied “green licence”, Banik started his operations of manufacturing and distribution of firecrackers from his residence at Patharpratima. He secured an ordinary trade licence from the local panchayat, which did not allow him to manufacture or sell firecrackers. And yet he was manufacturing the firecrackers in his home.

Meanwhile, even four days since the blast took place, Tushar Banik, the co-accused and the joint owner of the house at Patharpratima where the blast took place, is still on the run. He is the younger brother of Chandrakanta Banik.

Eight people were killed in the blast.

The local people have accused the police of having information about the illegal firecracker factory and still allowing it to operate. They have also accused the police of repeatedly ignoring early warnings of such a possible mishap.