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It’s been years since the Supreme Court banned all conventional firecrackers amid air and noise pollution concerns, allowing citizens to use only green crackers during festivities, but it becomes loud and clear as festivals like Diwali approach, with many defying the order. Many states, including Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Haryana, and Delhi, have banned the production, storage, sale, and use of conventional firecrackers, besides giving only a few-hour window to burst green crackers during Diwali, the festival of light. As expected, with the festive season set to begin, the Commissioner of Police (CP) Dimapur too has issued an advisory, informing that only reduced emission firecrackers (improved/green crackers) will be permitted, that too between 8 pm and 10 pm on Diwali and from 11:55 pm to 12:30 am on the eve of Christmas and New Year. Banned items include joined firecrackers, those exceeding 125 dB (AI) or 145 dB pk noise level at 4 metre distance from the point of bursting, as well as items that contain harmful substances like barium salts, lithium, arsenic, antimony, lead and mercury. Besides this, only licensed traders can sell the permissible firecrackers. Such pre-emptive measures are needed in view of the worsening air pollution across the country. Sadly, the authorities are finding it hard to implement the ban due to the easy availability of banned crackers, though not sold openly like in the past, and many continuing to defy government orders despite hundreds of firework-related injuries and incidents, including fatal ones, being reported in the country every year. On October 27 in Hyderabad, a wholesale firecracker shop caught fire, which was found, upon investigation, to be operating without permission or any safety equipment.
Amid slow progress, a survey conducted on citizens of Delhi-NCR by Local Circles indicated that restrictions imposed by the government are making some positive impact. According to the survey, 19% of participants stated that they would like to burst firecrackers this Diwali but they are not available in their cities; 9% said they would burn crackers; while 8% did not give a clear answer. “To sum up, 18% Delhi NCR families surveyed are likely to burn crackers this Diwali, while 55% won’t as they find them causing pollution,” read the report. It is encouraging to know that the majority of people in the national capital are aware of the negative impact firecrackers have on the environment. However, the ultimate aim should be towards a cracker-free country. It may take time to completely stop this decades-old tradition but it’s not unachievable. There are many ways of lighting up your homes and neighbourhood with decorative LED lights, diyas, candles, etc. Such practice can go a long way in checking air pollution, which is detrimental to public health, especially for people with respiratory problems.