Diyas, Candles, lights, sweets, family time and a lot of fire crackers! Doesn’t this sound absolutely perfect for Diwali? Yes, it does to me and to all others. Celebrated on the home-coming of Lord Ram after his victory over Ravana, Diwali in India is the celebration of lights and the celebration of being together. But, the meaning of diwali has somehow lost under the piles of fire-crackers that are burst just for fun.

The chakris, Anar and colorful rockets are all that we really think of when we talk of diwali. No lord Ram, no victory of good over evil, no nothing. Its all just about fire crackers that create excessive noise pollution and disturbs the balance in the atmosphere. Behind the real lights of diwali, there exists a harsh truth. The truth of how this festival of lights actually affects our life and the life of several innocent little kids in the country. We have always read about the beauty of this festival, this time, let’s read about its darker sides, and pledge on correcting these points for a better India, a Better life.

Diwali and Child Exploitation

Fortunate are our kids that they get to buy fire-crackers and burst them for fun during Diwali. But, for those who belong to the poor families, the kids spend their time in the fire-cracker companies making the crackers for us. They get exposed to harsh chemicals, acids and more that not just affect their health, but also their lives.

Air Pollution

Smoke from the crackers that we burn is enough to pollute the air we breathe in. The crackers are made out of a lot of chemicals that are harmful for our health when inhaled. These crackers increase the amount of sulphur nitrates, nitrogen dioxide and magnesium in the air. So, if you are an asthma patient, make sure you stay away from fire-crackers.

Ecological damage

One night of fire-crackers, and the entire ecological balance can get disturbed. The pollution created on just one night is equal to the pollution created in an entire year.

Noise Pollution

Bombs and rockets are a favorite amongst kids. But these fire-crackers also create a lot of noise pollution that

Fire-work Garbage

India, as such is known for its garbage and un-cleanliness. But, on Diwali alone, almost 4,000 metric tones of garbage is released in a city like Delhi. So, it is more important that we take care of this garbage and keep the city clean by not bursting too many fire-crackers.

Fire accidents

Accidents in Diwali are a major concern in the country. According to a survey, nearly 10,000 people across the country get injured due to fire-crackers. However, most of these injuries are minor, but there are chances of major injuries as well.

How to keep the country Free of Pollution?

School Campaigns

Diwali is a special festival for the kids. They love bursting crakers. Encouraging kids not to burn fire-works and conveying them the importance of a pollution free environment can help decrease the pollution. Schools can do campaigns to convey this message and make the environment pollution free.

Fire Cracker Display

Instead of burning crackers in every house, it can be more fun to have a fire work display in the society clubhouse which can be followed by a dinner and some music. This way, you can not just celebrate Diwali but also make your kids enjoy the festival of lights.

Image courtesy: Facebook/BestOutOfWasteIdeas
Facebook/Pratik Nagda