Mohali, Oct. 11 -- Despite only 30 licences issued for a period of five years, Kurali, the state's largest firecracker hub, has virtually turned into a tinderbox with nearly 300 shops operating here illegally.

The market, which is the main supplier of crackers to Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, and Chandigarh, is estimated to have an annual turnover of over Rs.8 crore.

A visit by HT revealed that firecrackers were being sold illegally along Morinda Road, Chandigarh Road, and within the city's main market in blatant violation of fire safety norms.

Not just this, residents claim that tonnes of crackers are also being stocked in residential houses, makeshift godowns, and unapproved establishments, posing a grave fire h...