Exclusive: Cracker Factory, Where 11 Were Killed, Did Not Have License

The factory, in existence for over two decades, had a history of operating without a valid license and lacking necessary safety precautions.

Eleven people were killed, and 174 others were injured after a fire erupted at an unlicensed firecracker factory in Madhya Pradesh's Harda on Tuesday, triggering several blasts. The factory, in existence for over two decades, had a history of operating without a valid license and lacking necessary safety precautions.

The roots of the problem trace back to 2017 when the owners of the cracker unit applied for a license renewal under The Explosives Act. The then Harda district collector discovered that the factory, located on the outskirts of Harda town, approximately 150 km from the state capital Bhopal, was manufacturing crackers without a required license. The existing permit only allowed the stocking and selling of crackers and sparklers, including those of Chinese origin. 

Despite this violation, the factory continued its operations until it was sealed by authorities in 2017, remaining non-operational at least until August 2018. However, the factory resumed operations in 2018-19, managing to renew its stocking and sale license until 2022.