Let us prohibit unsafe crackers in all states
The Supreme Court has said restrictions on firecrackers are not exclusive to the Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR), but apply to the entire country. This is most welcome. But its successful implementation remains a huge challenge. There have been several court rulings against firecrackers causing air and noise pollution. Appeals and orders to opt for ‘green’ firecrackers that do not use harmful compounds have been repeatedly made over the years. But ear-shattering, lungs-burning crackers continue being burst regardless. The Supreme Court observed that although awareness in schools has led to an increasing number of children staying away from harmful firecrackers, it is the adults who are the culprits. Worse, in India firecrackers are not restricted to the festive season. Sports victories, birthdays, weddings, processions and sometimes funerals, too, are celebrated with firecrackers—most of them containing barium compounds, the main villain causing health hazards. This is throughout the year.
Even short-term exposure to chemicals-laden firecrackers is known to cause lung disease, asthma and acute bronchitis. People remain increasingly susceptible to a range of respiratory infections. Those with heart disease exposed to firecracker smoke are at a greater risk of suffering heart attacks and arrhythmias. High-decibel crackers cause distress, not just among humans, but in animals too. The unfortunate death of a horse belonging to Kolkata’s mounted police on November 5 should be a grim reminder. The distressed horse died of heart attack after firecrackers were burst outside Kolkata’s Eden Gardens to celebrate India’s victory over South Africa in the cricket World Cup.
Hazardous firecrackers only worsen the already-poor air pollution in Indian cities. According to a live air quality index (AQI), eight of the ten most polluted cities in the world are in India, with Delhi ranking fourth with an AQI of more than ten times the country’s own accepted safe level in recent days. The Karnataka State Pollution Control Board and the GST Council are setting up check-posts along the state border to prevent the entry of hazardous firecrackers. This needs to be emulated by all states. Within the states, the police need to be given more powers to deter people from bursting hazardous crackers.