NOIDA, January 18: Yesterday's explosion was the eighth in a firecracker godown in the Dadri area. So far 28 persons have lost their lives but the district administration has made little effort to put a stop to the illegal storage and manufacture of firecrackers.Last afternoon's blast claimed four lives and left two persons critically injured. The police today sealed the premises of six license holders of firecracker godowns. Though they had permission to manufacture and store crackers, they were not allowed to do so in residential areas such as Gautam Puri.
The explosion had occurred in a godown being run at the residence of one of the license holders. No arrests have been made in connection with yesterday's blast despite a complaint filed by Heeralal of Gautampuri against Vishwambar, the owner of the godown.
Such explosions are not new in Dabri. The first had occurred 20 years ago near the Jarcha crossing and had claimed seven lives. Two years later a firecracker godown exploded in the Bramhapuri
area, killing five. Another person lost his life when a third godown exploded in the same area that year.
Though the administration remained indifferent after the two blasts in Bramhapuri, residents were up in arms against these units and operators were forced to shift their base from Bramhapuri to Gautampuri and Garhi village.
In 1993, the fourth blast occurred in the house of Pyarelal, killing one person. Another godown exploded in Garhi village leaving four dead. The next occurred in Gautamuri in 1994 killing two persons. Another blast opposite Agrasen Inter-college claimed four lives.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
