But from the first evening of Diwali in Delhi, the smoke level went from extremely bad to dangerous.
Editorial: How can we replace a smoky Diwali with a green Diwali: Diwali is considered a festival of consumption. The festive season, in fact, starts from Navratri and the business world is constantly trying to capitalize on it until Christmas, New Year and then Lohri. But Diwali is considered the peak of this season.
That is why the prosperity of the country is measured by the scale of sales during Diwali. This time, due to the extensive reduction in GST rates and some other reasons, the huge increase in the sale of expensive consumer goods (white goods) from Navratri to Diwali is being presented as an indicator of the health of the national economy.
It is being said that during the last 25 days, the sale of big and small cars has increased by 50 percent compared to the same period last year. Satisfaction is also being expressed that the sales of small cars and motorcycles have also 'revived', which shows that the purchasing power of the lower middle class has also increased. Such indicators are welcome in themselves. But the reality is that this time Diwali has been noisier and more toxic in terms of environmental pollution.
There is no part of North India left whose air has not been polluted to a dangerous extent for humans and other living beings during the last two-three days. We, common citizens, are not only guilty for such a situation, the executive i.e. governments and the judiciary i.e. courts are also no less guilty. None of these three considered it appropriate to ensure steps to keep the festive fervor in mind. This is the regrettable aspect of this Diwali.
The Supreme Court had ordered to celebrate a green Diwali in the National Capital Territory of Delhi. This order was basically limited to the use of firecrackers. Firecracker manufacturers have been claiming on the basis of some scientific research that the use of certain types of bio-chemicals in firecrackers and fireworks reduces their toxicity to a great extent. This makes them harmless to health.
But from the first evening of Diwali in Delhi, the smoke level went from extremely bad to dangerous. The careless use of firecrackers and fireworks made the smoke level so high that it became 70 times more toxic than the dangerous limit of smoke pollution for the human respiratory system.
When such toxicity persists for more than four days, how can it be considered a ‘Green Diwali’? It is obvious that what was sold or traded was not green. The Supreme Court on October 15 allowed the sale and purchase of ‘green’ firecrackers in the National Capital Region, but while issuing such an order on the basis of a balance between tradition and science, it did not take into account the fact that the Centre or the states do not have the necessary personnel to use such ‘green’ firecrackers and enforce other ‘green’ rules.
Due to this approach with a gap between principle and practice, the orders of the apex court were flouted in Delhi as well as in the neighbouring states. The 712 cases of eye or hand burns in government hospitals in the National Capital Region alone show the extent to which Delhi remained indifferent to the orders of the Supreme Court.
The same fate befell other cities in North India. An example of this is the 378 cases of burns of people, especially children, in the tri-city area of ​​Chandigarh-Mohali-Panchkula. The fact that 104 injured people underwent eye surgeries in a single night by government doctors is proof of the fact that the concept of a ‘green’ Diwali has no significance in the eyes of the people nor for the government structure.
The political-social significance of traditions, religious sentiments or the compulsions of a market-driven economy cannot be ignored. But smoking a smoked fizzy drink to a life-threatening extent is criminal negligence.
The glory of Diwali should be preserved, but at the same time, measures to make it safe for our existence should also be thought of, designed and adopted on an emergency level. By doing so, the splendor of Diwali will only increase, not decrease.
(For more news apart from “Surge In Respiratory Illnesses, Pregnancy Complications Due To Pollution After Diwali In Kolkata” stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman.)
