BENGALURU: Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) is proposing an initiative to celebrate ‘Community Deepavali’ at play grounds and other open spaces. According to BBMP authorities, this initiative will reduce noise, air and visual pollution.
Deepavali, the festival of lights, is becoming a nuisance because of various reasons -- sound due to crackers, air pollution and tons of waste. Speaking to Express, BBMP Joint Commissioner (Solid Waste Management) Sarfaraz Khan said last year, when he was zonal commissioner for Yelahanka, they had urged people to burn crackers in open grounds. “This was quite successful. There is a big open ground in Vidyaranyapura and locals burst crackers there,’’ he said.
Now, Khan, who is overall in-charge for Solid Waste Management, is proposing this initiative to be implemented across the city.Explaining further, Khan said there are many playgrounds and open spaces belonging to BBMP, government and educational institutions.
“By burning crackers at one point in each zone or ward, it will be easy for our pourakarmikas to clear garbage and dispose them of. In many countries like the UK, the US and even UAE, people celebrate festivals at one place. This helps build bonds too,’’ he said.
BBMP will call members of residents’ welfare associations for a meeting after Dasara. “We want to reach out to the public through them. BBMP will make all necessary arrangements to celebrate Deepavali in one place, including fire engine and ambulance as precautionary measures,’’ he said.
The proposal has got positive public response. Swaroopa Venkatesh, a resident of Nagarbhavi, said this will be a good initiative, if implemented. “Deepavali is definitely a community-based festival. Burning crackers at one place will be helpful, especially for senior citizens, infants and patients. They often get disturbed by noise as crackers are burnt on every single road in a locality,’’ she said.
Ravi M R, a mechanical engineer, said Deepavali is a festival of lights. People should light diyas in front of their houses. “It will be fun to burn crackers with friends and neighbours. We can get to see variety of crackers at one place. But safety matters too. If proper arrangements are made, we will welcome the initiative,’’ he said.