Diwali symbolizes the victory of good over evil. The homecoming of Rama to Ayodhya and the killing of Narakasura by Krishna are celebrated as the festival of lights ‘Deepawali’.
Today, the occasion never goes without brand new clothing, exchange of sweets and gifts, and bursting firecrackers.
We splurge on different kinds of fireworks and take delight in seeing them shoot up and explode with powerful bangs and colorful sparks.
However, we never think about what goes behind and what happens after this thrill. There are social and environmental costs we neglect at whim.
Plight of Firecracker Workers
Foremost among them is the lives lost during the making of fireworks. In the last week alone, two firecracker industry blasts were reported.
People get charred to death in these accidents. Those who escape, suffer burn injuries that haunt them for life.
Yesterday’s news was gruesome. An infant and a 6-year-old girl met their tragic death.
These accidents are not rare. Flip through your newspapers. You will know that at least one such accident happens every week.
The firecracker industry laborers toil in one of the most hazardous work environments, with death just a spark away.
Some face acute skin allergies, while many invite prolonged respiratory illnesses.
Mere crackdown on illegal firecracker units or ensuring safety protocols alone cannot address their plight. Accidents do happen even in legally certified units, and health hazards are inevitable.
These workers need to be migrated to other safer jobs. While the government should find ways to rehabilitate them, the onus is also on us. Our demand is the driver behind this industry.
Though news with higher casualty figures grabs our attention, we hardly show a change of heart. Our celebrations continue unhindered.
Cultural Significance Versus Environmental Cost
The incessant thuds, bangs, and sparks on Diwali day scare the hell out of animals. Petrified birds crash into poles and walls–a mayhem we fail to see.
AQI in major top cities falls to a perilous low. Hazardous smoke and particulate matter fill our air, and thousands of tons of firecracker debris remain strewn up across our streets.
All of this is for a practice that has neither religious nor cultural significance.
We can call it “Made in China,” as it has little to do with ‘Hinduism’ and more to do with the invention of gunpowder.
Traditions linked to religions are often never questioned, especially when they are a source of joy. However, as we celebrate the triumph of good over evil, should we not see the evil we cause?
Let’s break this cycle and celebrate Diwali responsibly.
Reference:
- 14 dead in two fire cracker unit accidents in Tamil Nadu
- Chronology of major fire accidents in Sivakasi
- Sivakasi: India’s dangerous fireworks capital
- Accident data analysis and hazard assessment in fireworks manufacture
- Our fancy for fireworks is killing many defenseless workers
- History of Gunpowder
- Delhi imposes complete ban on firecrackers