Deepavali has gone from being the festival of lights to a celebration of irony and anarchy. A quick post-mortem of the streets revealed the burnt remains of firecrackers littering every nook and cranny, and the violation of the Supreme Court’s ban too. It amuses the mind, if not the lungs, to see the perpetrators wear smoke masks the following morning, as they returned to their lives with irritated coughs and itchy eyes.
In my hometown Gwalior, I have observed a trend over the past five to six years where the use of firecrackers seem to be on the decline. However, the situation this year was particularly bad, with an unexpected increase in the number of crackers and the consequent pollution. Clearly, the Suprene Court order has not contributed much to reduction in the usage of firecrackers, largely because of a hasty and reactionary decision in the face of an immediate pollution crisis, instead of taking and implementing the decision in a planned manner.
While smog blanketed New Delhi last winter, the SC passed orders to regulate the situation this Deepavali, which many transgressed. Though, unfortunately, we had to spend less time with crackers, it is crucial that we compromise. Recent reports show that despite the SC order, smog has been at large in the Capital, while in Tamil Nadu, air pollution decreased as compared to last year, which shows a sure sign of awareness.
The Supreme Court had restricted the time for bursting the crackers, but only a few took the regulation seriously. The air quality is again hazardous, as it has crossed the limit of the air quality index. The situation is even worse for senior citizens. These are just the visible short-term effects; if things continue at this pace, then things could worsen. The Supreme Court, along with the government, should formulate stringent laws.
