BHUBANESWAR: People are gearing up to celebrate festival of the year Diwali. It is the occasion which marks the victory of light over darkness, good over evil and knowledge over ignorance. The craze for this festival can be gauged from the fact that people prepare for this day for months.
Sound of bursting crackers can be heard days prior to the actual festival. The whole atmosphere becomes a virtual storehouse of toxic gases due to excessive bursting of crackers. However, the Supreme Court this year has set the duration for bursting crackers from 8 to10 PM for Diwali and 11:55 – 12:30 AM on other occasions such as Christmas and New Year. Orissa Post interacted with a few stakeholders to delve deeper into the subject.
Vinita Nanda, a housewife and resident of Ashok Nagar, said, “Thank God that the time limits have been set. The pollution due to bursting of crackers in Diwali is humongous. It is dangerous for the health of everyone. I am very happy as it will also help my ailing mother-in-law to rest properly. We should help someone with food or clothes rather than waste money on crackers.”
Chagla Sahoo, a crackers vendor at Unit 1 Market, said, “I would be incurring huge losses due to the SC ban on bursting firecrackers. I had invested Rs 7 Lakhs on this business. I am highly doubtful if all my crackers will be sold till Diwali.”
Debendra Barik, owner of Ganesh Crackers at Jatani, said “I don’t think such a ban will come to fruition in Odisha. Who is going to implement this ban? It’s all in pen and paper. The ban is never going to see the light of the day. I have already sold Rs 10 lakh worth crackers to various people all over Odisha.”
ENT specialist Manoj Kumar Lath said, “This law would severely curtail the use of crackers. From a medical point of view, I can assure that it will be a safeguard for people’s ear. Imagine how much pain the sound of a cracker causes to a new born. So every doctor including me appreciates this decision of Supreme Court. Each individual should abide by it.”
Environmentalist Jaykrushna Panigrahi said, “Delhi NCR has become one of the most polluted areas of the world due to air pollution. People of Odisha must consider the environmental concerns during the celebration of Diwali. The two-hour time limit seems harsh. However, we should respect the acumen of SC judges and abide by their decision.”
Urmila Rathore, event manager of Hamari Diwali at Akashdeep Apartment at Lewis Road, said, “This year we have decided to celebrate a smoke and fume free Diwali. Therefore, I have organised a LED Light garden where children will play. A Sangeet competition would be organised where elders can participate and win exciting prizes. I have also planned for a competition which will be a replica of Master Chef. Professional chefs will cook food and distribute it among children of slum areas.”