- विज्ञापन -
Kolkata: Following a recent explosion at an illegal firecracker factory in Patharpratima, located in West Bengal’s South 24 Parganas district, there is growing pressure on the state police to investigate the status of over 5,000 firecracker factories that were declared illegal two years ago.
This concern comes just months after a similar explosion at another illegal firecracker factory in Egra, East Midnapore district, occurred in May 2023. In response to this increasing threat, the state’s high-power committee convened in August 2023 to assess the situation concerning these illicit operations, identifying a total of 5,556 illegal firecracker manufacturing units throughout West Bengal.
In light of the recent Patharpratima explosion, there are now serious questions about the police’s effectiveness in monitoring these illegal firecracker factories, particularly regarding whether they were adequately supervised or allowed to resume operations after previously being inactive.
One significant case raising concern is that of Chandrakanta Banik, the owner of the Patharpratima factory, who resumed operations despite being arrested in 2022 for dealing in illegal firecrackers. His application for a “green licence” was rejected in 2023 due to objections from the district administration related to his criminal history.
This situation highlights a critical issue: if Banik could restart his firecracker business despite his track record, what assurance is there that owners of the other 5,556 illegal firecracker factories have not done the same?
Investigation indicates that after being denied a “green licence,” Banik continued manufacturing and distributing firecrackers from his home in Patharpratima. He managed to obtain a regular trade licence from the local panchayat, which explicitly did not authorize him to manufacture or sell firecrackers, but he proceeded to produce them nonetheless.
Additionally, Tushar Banik, the co-accused and joint owner of the house where the explosion occurred, remains at large four days after the incident. He is the younger brother of Chandrakanta Banik.
The explosion claimed the lives of eight individuals, leading local residents to accuse the police of being aware of the illegal factory’s existence yet allowing its operations to continue. They have also claimed that the police repeatedly ignored prior warnings regarding the potential dangers associated with such establishments.
