Firozabad’s glass industry which earned the city title of glass city of India has faced disruptions caused by the West Asia war. The tradition of glass manufacturing in the city can be traced back to the 16th century Mughal era, with city dominating the glass making industry for more than 200 years. According to some estimates around half or more than half of the city’s population is dependent directly or indirectly on the sector.
The industry is heavily dependent on energy to run gas fired chambers. These gas chambers run at around 1832 degrees Fahrenheit (1000 degrees Celsius), to manufacture items preventing defects.
India is heavily dependent on gas across all sectors of its economy including households, agriculture, transportation. This heavy reliance makes its factories among one of the most vulnerable in the continent.
With Firozabad contributing to 79% share of the glass manufacturing industry, the current gas crisis can result in a serious blow not only to the industry, but to the manufacturing industry as a whole. It is important here to note that India has outlined goals of increasing the current 17% share of the manufacturing industry, to 25% of the economy.
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