Police crack down on illegal cracker-making units

Kendrapada: Police dismantled an illegal cracker-making unit at Ostar village under Marshaghai police station limits in Kendrapada district on Tuesday and seized a large quantity of crackers and other explosives from the residence of illegal cracker maker Gadadhar Mallick. He fled the village before police arrived.In another case, police arrested an illegal cracker maker, Adhikari Ramashankar Das of Dahibara village in Jagatsinghpur district and seized explosive materials including dynamite, black powder, among others.Seizure of a huge quantity of crackers and other explosives from two illegal cracker-making units is the tip of the iceberg. “Though the govt is aware of illegal activities, it seems to be reluctant to implement laws. Most workers engaged in the manufacture of firecrackers come from the poorest sections of the society,” alleged Biswanath Rout, a social worker of Kendrapada.“Many illegal firecracker-making units in the district and nearby areas are tinderboxes waiting to explode, but the authorities are in deep slumber by not taking any steps to close down all the units. As a result, lives and properties of many persons are in danger,” he added.