9 Reasons Why Decision of Ban on Crackers is Right

Real Meaning of Deepawali Celebrations

Deepawali is not all about crackers, it is far beyond the noisy mess or fiery show. Every Diwali leaves Delhi densely covered with a blanket of smog, leaving people suffocating and gasping for breath. Last year, PM 2.5 level reached which was dangerously too high-level post-Diwali. This is considered the most harmful particulate matter because it goes directly into our lungs.

Excuses on “No Crackers Supreme Court Verdict”

People who are condemning verdict of Supreme Court have their own lame excuses “Arey Bacchae Kaise Khush Honge, Diwali Bina Pataka  Kya Diwali? Sirf Ek Din Ki Baat Hai.

We force our kids to know about crackers and use them to celebrate Deepawali. Have you ever given a though how did kids get to know that something like crackers do exist in this world? Did they learn it from inside womb? No, we as a parent have created a picture of Diwali celebration in front of our children, which stays incomplete without fireworks.

Celebrate this Diwali for Good Luck and Happiness

Some people argue that Diwali is not accomplished without firecrackers. Firecrackers have been a part of Diwali celebration for years and implementing a ban on it have hurt; religious sentiments of many.

Religiously, drinking and gambling are too forbidden on this, an auspicious day, however many among us ignore this for our own amusement. Please don’t, let everything on toll in the name of religion as the mother nature is above all.  After the ban on crackers by Supreme Court,  nobody seems to be talking about its positive impact on nature. This has apparently become a communal issue!!

I have a question for people against banning crackers. When did crackers come into existence in Delhi? No crackers, in Delhi, till 1920, until Nadar brothers settled a firecracker industry in Sivakasi in the southern part of the country. Pious scriptures of Hindu mythology “Ramayana” had been written by Sage Valmiki many centuries before that. According to historians and astronomers, the Ramayana events fall sometime between 2200-2000 BC, so do you think crackers were existing in that era?

Naraka Chaturdashi-Rituals and Celebrations before Diwali

It is not a matter of one day when people burn crackers. We could observe kids use to burn firecrackers many many days before the arrival of Diwali. For the sake of only one-day celebration, we suffocate Delhi each and every time post-Diwali with the dense layer of pollution, which gets difficult to settle down even in the next 6 months. Delhi’s air already remains polluted throughout the year, so how can have a room for additional pollution during Diwali?

The environment can bear to a certain level. The human race had exploited each and every single resource of nature for own benefit to its maximum potential. Crackers are the example of this.

What does Law of Ban on Crackers say?

Only we people have forced the Supreme Court to take such a radical step to put a complete ban on crackers in the Delhi NCR region. Reformatory measures were taken earlier to lessen the amount of these firecrackers, but all in vain, we people put everything into the drain.

As per law, no fireworks beyond 10 pm, but we usually start our celebrations after that only. Crackers should be burnt collaboratively in open spaces, but we prefer space in front of our house. Whatever measures are taken every year to lessen noise and air pollution ultimately get hazed in the heavy smoke of these crackers.

People may have their own stories narrating their own unique reasons for burning firecracker. Unfortunately, Supreme Court has banned the sale of crackers but nothing is mentioned regarding bursting last year stocked crackers. Many websites are selling firecrackers online are not within the realm of the ban.

But I can too quote multiple reasons why to ban crackers and I welcome the decision of the Supreme Court of India to ban sales of crackers in Delhi -NCR till after Diwali.

Dhanteras-Legend and Rituals of the Hindu Festival

9 Benefits of Ban on Crackers in Diwali

1. Eco-Friendly Diwali- Lesser Air Pollution

Firecrackers emit harmful nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide and particulate matter, taxing ecological balance and lethal to health. I am aware of the fact that Diwali is not only the reason for air pollution, as other more contributing factors are road dust due to demolition and active construction around the city including metro, industrial pollution, vehicular emissions, crop burning by our neighbouring states.

Diwali is not a hundred per cent responsible for Delhi’s pollution, but still, it is. Every single small effort counts.

2. Lesser Noise Pollution

The noise ceiling for firecrackers is 145 decibels. High decibels of noise pollution created by firecrackers can cause temporary and sometimes permanent hearing impairment. Other problems that people of old age face on Diwali nights are sleeping disorders, restlessness, the rise in blood pressure, and even heart attacks. Worst hits are pets and birds.

3. Lesser diseases

Particulate matter emitted by crackers bursting are so minute that they can even cross the most resistant defence barriers of a human body. They have a propensity to get lodged in the lung and can even enter the bloodstream. Patients (children and elderly people)  with a history of asthma and other respiratory disorders may have increased discomfort and worsen of conditions during Diwali. Raised levels of pollution not even spare street dogs and house pets.

4. Lesser Accidents

Every year, so many accidents happen due to misuse or improper usage of firecrackers. Many victims of burn due to burning crackers are admitted in hospitals on the eve of Diwali and the next day also. Few of the lives are lost and some are maimed for the rest of their life. There have been incidents every year of people getting blind, losing body parts, or suffering from other injuries due to firecrackers.

5. Money Savings

Crackers and fireworks are usually on the top of the Diwali shopping list which engulfs major budget and remains quite taxing to pocket. Burning crackers are literary burning money with your own hands. On one hand, we worship goddess Lakshmi bless us with money and happiness, while we spend money from another hand mindlessly.

We need to realize that we ourselves spending our hard-earned money on the least important thing that is equally harmful and causes air pollution, noise pollution to our city.

6. Lesser Clutter Post-Diwali

Diwali celebrations leave behind a trail of litter which include burnt or half burnt crackers. According to Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), the solid waste produced by the city increases by nearly 25-30% on the day after Diwali.

“Cleanliness is next to godliness”. In holy Puraṇa also it is narrated that on the new moon night of Ashwin the Goddess Lakshmi goes everywhere in search of an ideal home. Undoubtedly cleanliness, peaceful, beauty and excellence attract her not the “fire show”.

7. Lesser Chinese Products

Many people connect the ban on Chinese crackers with patriotism, but this is only half part of the story. Actually, Chines crackers are extremely hazardous. However, increased enthusiasm has been registered among people for Chinese fireworks mainly due to their low cost. Also, Chinese crackers burn brighter and longer too.

These crackers are manufactured with potassium chlorate ( banned in India since 1992) which is highly unstable and can explode with just a sharp jolt. Chemicals in Chinese firecrackers are also toxic, causing skin diseases and triggering allergies.

Dhanteras-Legend and Rituals of the Hindu Festival

8. Inhuman Conditions of Workers

Production of crackers is provided with no real precautionary measure or proper shield inhumane circumstances. Due to increased demand for bans during festivals, workers are bound to work day and nights with harmful chemicals, which many times adversely affects their quality of life. Small children are also involved in labour to meet the increased supply of crackers due to growing demands during festival season.

9. Fewer Disturbances to Animals and Birds

Fireworks can cause stress, terror and even death in both domestic and wild animals. Animals and birds can get burn injuries. Noise from crackers can bring temporary deafness among many animals and disorientation in the birds during the night hours. Air pollution created by crackers produce harmful chemicals which can affect the respiratory system of animals and birds both.

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