GUWAHATI: The Burn Care Foundation here, which operates the only specialised private burn care unit in the Northeast, has recorded a mild dip in the number of burn cases during Diwali this year as against the previous years.
As it is, there has been a considerable increase in the number of Diwali-related burn injuries since 2010 when it recorded 24 cases.
Last year, the unit recorded as many as 78 cases during and a week after the festival. In 2016 and 2015, the unit had to attend to 46 cases each in the respective years. “This year, we have recorded 24 cases during the Diwali days, which may rise in the next five days. All the cases have been from the city only. But compared to the two Diwali days last year when we recorded about 30 cases, there has been a dip, thanks to awareness generated against the use of crackers and sensitization campaigns at various levels,” Dr Bhupendra Prasad Sarma, secretary of the Burn Care Foundation, told The Shillong Times.
While not too many apparently had adhered to the guidelines of the Supreme Court in regard to the bursting of crackers between 8pm and 10pm, awareness campaigns, calls for a “green” celebration and checks at various levels have played a role in reduced use of high-decibel crackers during the Diwali.
Ironically, the Foundation says that it was the “flower pot” that was responsible for the maximum burn cases, particularly injuries to eyes, face and hands. “The flower pot has resulted in maximum burn cases which is rather ironical as this particular item is supposed to spread light when ignited rather than explode and cause a burn injury, which again raises questions about the ingredients used by manufacturers,” Sarma said.
