Cracker sale picks up

By Our Staff Reporter

CHENNAI, NOV. 12.

Cracker sales, which appeared sluggish this year, picked up on Deepavali eve. Many retailers did brisk business on Tuesday, though some felt it could have been better, but for the transport strike.

A retail chain shop on III Avenue in Anna Nagar, known for its pricing strategy, ran out of stock even as customers lined up at 11 a.m. today. In the up-market segment, an outlet on II Avenue had no such problems. There was enough stock and the manager said sales was as usual.

A popular brand opened an exhibition-cum-sale counter on G.N.Chetty Road. Mr. R. Gopal, partner, Kaliswari Fireworks, said the exercise was for promoting the brand among Chennaites. Here too the outlet ran out of stock, with people asking for 1,000 and 10,000 wallahs. ``Rains and the recent Supreme Court order, putting a cap on the noise level at 125 dbs, did us in,'' he said.

For `regular' licensee like Mr. P. Chermuthudurai at K.K.Nagar, who has set up the shop for the tenth successive year on P.T.Rajan Salai, ``loose sales during the week was good''. In fact this year he was loaded with more stocks. Its always ``standard'' business, he says pointing to the brand he retails.

Fire Service on alert

Meanwhile, gearing itself for the festivities, the Fire Service Department has stationed water tankers at 20 vulnerable points, including slums having thatched huts, as a precautionary measure.

The ``identified points'' include Nesappakkam in MGR Nagar, Ayodhya Mandapam in West Mambalam, Panagal Park, T.Nagar bus terminus, Luz Corner, Nungambakkam Officers' Quarters, Vailankanni Church in Besant Nagar, Porur Roundabout, Velacheri, Nochikuppam, Srinivasapuram, Flower Bazaar and Ayanavaram bus terminus.

Apart from the water tankers, patrol vehicles of the Fire Service will go around Annai Teresa Nagar on Greames Road, near Maraimalai Adigalar Bridge, Saidapet, Kotturpuram, War Memorial and Bakthavatsalam Nagar off Anna Salai.

Crackers release toxins

A study on chemicals used in crackers by Toxic Links showed the presence of highly toxic metals such as cadmium and lead, in addition to copper, manganese, zinc, sodium, magnesium and potassium. The city-based organisation said lead emitted (from sparklers and flower-pots) highly toxic fumes when heated and was a potential carcinogen. Children could suffer mental retardation and semi-permanent brain damage. Cadmium could cause anemia, hypertension and make bones brittle.

Inhalation of magnesium fume and dust could cause fever and skin blisters. The suspended particulate matter emanating from crackers containing cadmium and lead, even in small concentration, was toxic.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : Southern States
Previous : MTC operates 1,565 buses
Next     : 'Give more respect to nursing assts.'