Many feel the SC order on bursting firecrackers is
balanced but guidelines need to be strictly implemented
Firecrackers have always been an intrinsic part of the celebrations during Kali puja and Diwali. Though it is essentially a festival of lights, over-enthusiastic revellers have added one more element to it, sound.
However, the intensity of torture on tympanum is less in Shillong as compared to cities and towns in other parts of the country. With the recent Supreme Court verdict restricting bursting of firecrackers, it is likely that the hill city will witness a less noisy celebration this year.
The apex court on October 23 abstained from ordering a blanket ban on firecrackers and instead set riders for revellers. While limiting the time for bursting crackers to two hours the court also insisted on green crackers. Later, it also allowed states to fix their own timings for merrymaking but maintained the two-hour limit.
In their appeals, counsels requested the court to give some leeway on using green crackers which are unavailable in the market and would only arrive next year.
The order had followed the Centre’s opposition to a blanket ban on firecrackers in August and suggestion for regulatory measures. In its affidavit, the Ministry of Environment and Forests had claimed that it had discussions with expert bodies and it felt that production of ‘series’ crackers or ‘laris’ could be banned and states could designate places for bursting crackers.
But as air and sound pollution levels in the country keep up a steady increase rate is the verdict justified?
Green crusader Sajay Laloo says anything that is being practised for a long time cannot be discontinued or disregarded so abruptly. “It should be practised even if it is in a symbolic way. But there should be restrictions and that is what the court has done. Also, a one-day activity cannot override 364 days of ignorance on pollution,” he adds.
On the contradiction in the term “green crackers”, Laloo says there cannot be eco-friendly firecrackers because “anything that produces smoke is pollution”.
“The solution would be to use electronic items but the poor cannot afford them. So I feel bursting of crackers should be regulated and not completely banned,” he adds.
Several citizens feel that it is in the nature of human beings to break rules or not follow them and the time restriction can easily be flouted if the administration is not alert enough. “The rules are too relaxed and are not enough to make people aware of the gravity of the situation. Also, the court should have considered the sound pollution part because cracker bursting affects animals as they have heightened senses and their hearing is much stronger than ours,” says a concerned citizen.
These concerns and the Supreme Court’s order have prompted the East Khasi Hills district administration to delay permission for selling crackers. Shops in the city are so far selling the paraphernalia for the festival but no crackers can be found. “We are waiting for the decision. Our licences have been deposited. This time, it is stricter probably because of the SC order,” says a shop owner at Jail Road.
Another shop owner informs that though he has some stock of firecrackers he cannot sell them without the administration’s go-ahead. “You come next week,” he requests.
Deputy Commissioner PS Dkhar says a decision on sales of crackers as well as the varieties will be taken by Tuesday.
“The ban on firecrackers should not be a drastic one. The government should take into account the workers involved in the manufacturing of firecrackers and should take necessary measures to find them new jobs,” says A Varghese, a citizen.
Varghese points out that firecracker industry employs a large of number of children who face tremendous health hazards and there should be strict laws to stop this to save precious lives as well as the environment.
Many concerned parents in the city are, however, for a complete ban on use of firecrackers during Diwali. Mitali Ray, a mother of a teenager and a toddler, says every year she is forced to buy crackers because of her children. “But if you ask me, I would say this is not a good trend. Yes, bursting crackers on Kali puja or any occasion has been going on for decades, or may be centuries. Now, you have to consider the changing scenario and worsening environment. Also, where is the space to burst crackers safely,” says the 38-year-old working parent.
BK Singh, another concerned and aware citizen, says his family never celebrates with crackers and follows the traditional way of lighting diyas or earthen lamps. “My daughter does not like the noise. So I do not get crackers. This is a festival of lights and we believe in that,” he explains.
Shillong is no Delhi where pollution has reached an alarming level and special rules are needed for Diwali celebrations. Yet it has its own problems concerning environment and it will be advisable not to add to the woes. Having said that, strict rules about the types of crackers sold in the market, the timings for bursting crackers and designated spaces will definitely reduce the danger. But the administration has to show its iron fist, even to wealthy revellers, so that every individual adhere to the rules.
The state pollution control board says it has got directive from the Central Pollution Control Board to monitor air quality for 14 days (November 1-14) as against the previous years when monitoring was done for three days, including the festival day. The board will also check noise pollution on November 1, the festival day that is November 7 and post-Diwali.
S Ghosh, a citizen who loves to travel and take photographs, has a “twisted” view of the situation.
“I think it is a balanced verdict. As a citizen who is concerned about the environment, I would have liked it to be banned completely. But episodes like that at Sabarimala make me feel that a blanket ban could be given a religious and political twist ahead of the 2019 elections,” says Ghosh who is in Kolkata now and is dreading Kali puja because of the “madness”.
~ NM
DIWALI SPECIAL: B & C