As Diwali arrives at our doorstep many are paranoid about the impact of this festival on their pets, the elderly, the ailing and the babies. There will be air pollution on account of the fumes emitted by the crackers and noise pollution as a result of the bursting of high decibel crackers labeled ‘atom bombs.’ Diwali as the name suggests is about lights. How the sound aspect of it entered the Diwali lexicon and indeed all other religious festivals including Christmas and New Year and of course marriages and post a victorious cricket match is perplexing. In India noise appears to be second nature to many. Last year the Supreme Court had warned that there is need to strike a balance between the right to health of citizens and the rights of the fireworks manufacturers.
Hence the apex court directed that crackers should be burnt only for a couple of hours, between 8 pm to 10 pm on Diwali and 11:55 pm to 12:30 am during Christmas and New Year. States have been told to check whether they can try out collective or community bursting of crackers so that the quantity is reduced. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has been directed to check the emission quality one week before and after Diwali. All festivals and functions like marriages too are directed to follow these guidelines.
The Supreme Court had also ordered that only green crackers be allowed which have less potency. But such crackers are not yet available in remote corners of India such as Meghalaya. Some ask what’s wrong with bursting crackers. Firecrackers affect our health directly. The aluminium used in crackers could cause skin ailments. They may contain barium salt, which lets out toxic gases that interfere with our respiration. Bursting crackers in general triggers problems such as asthma, coughing, bronchitis, and can aggravate problems associated with lung disease and in extreme cases could cause nervous system breakdown and cognitive interference.
Cities like Delhi are already battling a high level of air toxicity even without bursting crackers. On Diwali this toxicity is expected to rise up considerably and affect many who already suffer from respiratory conditions. Noise is also anathema to children with autism. They find it hard to handle the suddenness of the explosion. Why the Indian citizenry is not sensitive to all these pernicious effects of crackers is hard to understand. Perhaps it is high time that respective state governments give a call to citizens to celebrate Diwali and all other festivals more responsibly.