Tamil Nadu: Sivakasi firecracker units ramp up production ahead of Diwali amid labour shortage

Firecracker units in Tamil Nadu’s Sivakasi are ramping up operations ahead of Diwali as orders rise, but manufacturers and workers report production remains below last year due to labour shortages, regulatory restrictions and green-cracker norms. Workers say the slowdown has hit incomes and household expenses in villages where fireworks remain a key livelihood.