Production of green crackers: Single-window system being worked out for application
KOLKATA: The state MSME department is developing a single-window system for application and issuance of all licenses required for production of green crackers in Bengal. The common portal that will be integrated with the Shilpasathi portal will be developed within 15 days.
The MSME department will soon develop a consolidated SOP (Standard Operating Procedure), which will be circulated among the district administration on the basis of which licenses will be given to the manufacturers of green crackers. The terms and conditions of the Fire and Emergency Services department, the state Pollution Control Board and necessary criteria for explosives will be submitted to the MSME department by next Tuesday on the basis of which the MSME department will prepare the final SOPs.
The decisions were taken at a high-level meeting chaired by Chief Secretary H K Dwivedi on Friday at Nabanna with all concerned officials of departments like Fire, state Pollution Control Board, MSME in virtual presence of the District Magistrates and police Superintendents on the issue of green firecrackers.
“The District Magistrates have been asked to dispose of the applications for manufacture of green crackers in quick time, if it is found that the SOPs for the same followed by the applicants. If it is found that any manufacturer is deviating from the SOPs, then efforts should be made to engage him in other activities,” a senior Nabanna official said.
The DMs and SPs were asked to identify all firecracker manufacturing units in their districts and at the same time look for land parcels for developing clusters or industrial parks for green firework manufacturing.
A team led by MSME director along with officials of state PCB, Fire, Explosive department and Fire Crackers Manufacturers’ Associations have already gone to Tamil Nadu’s Sivakasi to examine how they have developed a thriving green fire cracker manufacturing industry there and accordingly submit a report in the context of Bengal.
Instructions were issued for developing storage facilities for green firecrackers at specific locations with required precautionary measures, along with magazines set to come up at the storage facilities.
As per instructions, the storage of firecrackers shall not be done at the manufacturing units and the Crackers Manufacturers’ Associations shall operate and maintain the storage facilities.
The district administration and police were directed to take up regular inspection of illegal firecrackers manufacturing units with information of such inspection to be forwarded to the state PCB. An “APP” will be developed for providing information of such raids.
The necessary licenses for operating a green cracker manufacturing unit include a certificate issued from CSIR-NEERI, license from the Fire department, license from Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organization (PESO)/District Magistrate Office as the case may be and consent to operate of PCB.
A letter has been issued to the Director of CSIR-National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (CSIR NEERI) for setting up a laboratory at the Haldia Regional Laboratory of the state PCB to accelerate the process of testing of green firecrackers.