Loud campaign

How big should the bang be? This is the crux of the decibel debate on firecrackers. Not only have manufacturers propounded their own theory on the subject, they are lobbying hard to get the stipulated 125-decibel (db) limit raised or even scrapped. As the next date of hearing (September 30) in a protracted legal battle in the Supreme Court (sc) approaches, the noise is getting louder. Because at stake is the very existence of the industry, which employs close to 10 lakh workers and whose annual turnover is Rs 400 crore.

Firecracker makers can, however, seek solace in the fact that the Union government appears to be in no hurry to enforce the regulations. While they were notified three years ago, a monitoring mechanism is yet to be put in place. In fact, sources in the units located in Sivakasi, Tamil Nadu