Diwali and crackers

The court’s recent banning of crackers and fireworks during Diwali and the response that the judgment has evoked are both interesting. It is time we faced the undeniable reality that crackers and fireworks are damaging to health and environment, and mar rather than boost the true spirit of Diwali.

FIRST THE FACTS:

The quality of air that we breathe worsens severalfold around Diwali. Levels of noxious gases such as sulphur-dioxide go up by 200 percent. Crackers spew nitrous oxide, carbon monoxide, fumes and pollutants to astonishing levels, triggering smoke and fog.

The air-pollutants cause smarting of eyes, soreness of the throat, cough and wheezing. It is a bad time for those with bronchial asthma as they often come down with acute attacks at this time. For some, this is the time when they have their first attacks of asthma. Patients with bronchitis get their exacerbations around this time.

Even ‘phuljharis’ and ‘charkas’ contain heavy metals such as copper, cadmium, cobalt, zinc, lead and aluminium. These compounds when released in the atmosphere, triggers cough, chest congestion, lack of sleep and headaches.

The sudden loud noise of crackers can cause eardrums to burst. Startling sounds can also cause heart attacks, especially in the elderly and in those with heart ailments.

Crackers and fireworks are the cause of burns and accidents, whose frequency spurts around Diwali. ‘Rockets’ and ‘annars’ have this terrible habit of occasionally going or offcourse, hitting people or entering homes through open windows.

The harmful effects of fumes on health are not just immediate. High exposure levels have been associated with increased risk of cardiac diseases, Parkinson disease, dementia and cancers later in life.

Crackers and fireworks literally make money go up in smoke. Apart from the wastage of resources, the firecracker industry is notorious for using child labour at every step.

Several people who even agree with the logical argument against use of crackers find it hard to shun its use in practice as that gnawing sense of ‘tradition’ drags at them.

History however tells us that Diwali (Deepawali), a festival of ‘deeps’ or ‘diyas’, has its origin in rejoicing and celebrating the return of victorious Lord Ram. That was a time when ignitable chemicals and gunpowder had not been discovered. Hence they could not have celebrated it with crackers.

Any practice performed over time tends to become a tradition, regardless of when, how and who started it. We should not have any hesitation in changing this recently acquired way of celebrating Diwali.

The present generation has the chance to choose: Either to just follow tradition blindly and cause harm to the next generation,or set an example and start a new healthy tradition of doing things better. The choice is ours.