Letters to The Editor — April 21, 2026

Cracker factory blast

It is saddening that fire disasters continue unabated in Tamil Nadu’s Virudhunagar district (Front page, April 20). The gruesome incident is a clear testament to the gross negligence of officials and agencies in discharging their mandated responsibilities. Standard operating procedures appear to be observed more in breach than in compliance. The time has come to mechanise various processes involved in the manufacture of fireworks, rather than relying heavily on manual labour. Meanwhile, an in-depth scientific study could be undertaken to rework the composition of the chemicals used in this hazardous industry.