11 April, 2016 To The Registrar General High Court of Kerala Ernakulam. Sul fireworks tragedy at Kollam The fireworks tragedy at Puttingal Devi Temple at Paravur on 10.4.2016 has left more than 100 people charred to death besides many disabled and injured apart from damage to property. This is not an isolated incident and statistics reveal that more than 500 people have been burnt alive in similar festivals and celebrations across the State. The existing laws like the Explosives Act and the Rules framed thereunder or the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) are often honoured by its breach by the organisers. 2. Life is the most precious creation on this planet which cannot be replaced by money and the right to life guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution of India is very valuable. The SupremeCourt has come down heavily on animal race - ‘Jallikattu’ - in the name of religious celebrations and then why not fireworks which consume human lives? The deafening noise and widespread pollution caused by fireworks adds to the woes and miseries of numerous citizens living in the vicinity. 3. The right to profess, practice and propagate the religion of one's choice under Article 25 of the Constitution of India does not take in the freedom to use dangerous crackers. Barium Nitrate, Pottasium Nitrate, Sulphur and Aluminium Powder are the main raw materials and a banned chemical - Pottasium Choloride - is used to accentuate the effect. Palakkad District tops the list for such man made tragedies and | cannot turn a blind eye to this senseless celebrations in temples, churches and mosques. 4. The time is more than ripe for immediate judicial intervention to stop such man made tragedies by banning the use of the high decibel explosive fire crackers. Pyrotechnics display using ‘Amittu', ‘Gundu’, ‘Kathinavedi’ etc. have to be banned and at best only low decibel Chinese type crackers can be permitted for display.Thousands gather to witness this spectacle and even the police personnel find it difficult to ward them away from the spot where the display is often made. 5. Todays newspapers are replete with the news and Photographs of this horrific incident at Kollam and a copy of The Hindu’ and ‘The Indian Express’ are enclosed. The directions in Anand Parthasarathy v. State of Kerala [2000 (1) KLT 566] are not effective to curb the menace of dangerous fireworks display. Rituals and festivals must give way to changing times and lavish use of dangerous fireworks in the festival centric State has to be stopped sooner than later. | beseech you to place this letter before the Division Bench in order to consider as to whether the same could be treated as a Public Interest Litigation and appropriate interim orders passed. (JUSTICE V.CHITAMBARESH)