As the residents of Delhi woke up after a finally somewhat-unrestricted Diwali on the 6th of November, almost all the areas across Delhi recorded ratings above 400 AQI with some places going even up to 1000 AQI- highest the charts can record.
(source: Central Pollution Control Board Website).
A thick layer of acrid smog hung over Delhi-NCR on 6th November after residents flouted the ban on firecrackers to celebrate Diwali and, emissions from stubble burning in the region peaked at 36 per cent.
Residents in many parts of Delhi-NCR complained of an itchy throat and watery eyes. The Governments in Haryana and Delhi impose total lockdown with regards to Private and Public institutions and a ban on stubble burning and all kinds of construction activities from 15th to 17th November to try and control the huge pollution problem. As the Chief Justice of India took cognizance of the situation in Delhi, The Bench raised doubts about the efficacy of the measures adopted by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) in the National Capital Region and adjoining areas in an emergency meeting.
But why is this happening?
The Supreme Court had previously established while setting aside the West Bengal High Court’s blanket ban on Firecrackers that they would uphold the National Green Tribunal’s (NGT) order that stated all firecrackers would be banned across Indian Cities with “poor” Air quality (AQI greater than 201).
Although different states have different levels of restrictions, there are certain guidelines which had been established by the National Green Tribunal previously, to regulate or minimise pollution due to bursting firecrackers. However, the stubble burning in the nearby areas in Haryana and Punjab are also a major contributor to the formation of a thick blanket of smog that engulfs Delhi and its neighbouring areas.
What did the government do?
According to the orders passed by the NGT and Supreme Court, firecrackers were legally not allowed to be burst across the entire NCR region and Delhi. The Delhi Government had told Delhi High Court while hearing a plea by 50 licensed traders seeking to sell the so-called green crackers in Delhi. The Government in Haryana had imposed a total ban on sale of Firecrackers across 14 districts that come under the National Capital Region. The government in Punjab had allowed only a two-hour window to burst green crackers. The normal crackers had been banned in Punjab.
What are the "Green" Crackers?
Green crackers are made from raw materials that do not cause as much pollution as traditional crackers. They do not use toxic chemicals and heavy metals such as Arsenic, Lithium and Barium. Green crackers are manufactured as per the formulation developed by Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) -National Environmental and Engineering Research Institute (NERI) lab, a central government enterprise under Ministry of Science and Technology.
Their chemical formulation ensures reduced particle emission into the atmosphere by suppressing the dust produced. While regular crackers emit about 160 decibels of sound, green crackers’ emission rate is limited to 110-125 decibels. Manufacturers need to sign a deal with the CSIR in order to make fireworks using the green cracker formulation.
There are three types of green crackers available in India - SWAS, STAR and SAFAL.
Green crackers too, in many cases, use polluting chemicals like aluminium, barium, potassium nitrate and carbon, but the quantity is reduced which in turn lowers the emission by about 30 per cent. In some green crackers, these chemicals are used at all.
Green crackers packaging can be identified through the distinct green logo of CSIR-NEERI and PESO as well as a Quick Response coding system. QR code is a novel feature incorporated on the firecrackers to avoid manufacture and sale of counterfeit products.
What are the penalties for violating the Ban?
Those found selling, storing or bursting firecrackers are supposed to be penalised under IPC Section 188- “Disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant", Section 286- "Negligent conduct with respect to explosive substance", while Section 5/9B of the Explosives Act could also be applied to the offenders.
While the IPC sections may fetch one a jail term of up to six months and a fine up to ₹ 1,000, the Explosives Act includes a jail term up to 3 years, along with a fine up to ₹ 5,000.
Apart from Delhi where else were firecrackers banned or regulated?
Apart from Delhi, almost all State Governments across the country had issued bans on conventional firecrackers. The sale of green firecrackers was allowed and times were specifically allotted for bursting crackers.
Areas with poor Air Quality were identified and bans were imposed in those areas.
Chandigarh has also imposed a complete ban on all firecrackers citing COVID-19 protocols and adhering to NGT Directives.
Keeping in mind the poor Air Quality Index registered in November last year, Punjab government has prohibited sale and use of any type of firecracker in Jalandhar and Mandi Gobindgarh until December 31, 2021 midnight.
How well were the rules followed?
Even orders from the apex court of India had no effect on those citizens who considered that suddenly a propaganda was being pushed against Hindu festivals only, as thousands took to Twitter to encourage each other to burst crackers, as can be seen from a simple search query under hashtags such as #burstcrackers #MyDiwali. Prominent personalities including the likes of Kapil Mishra who went on to tweet how Hindus were being targeted. Meanwhile Sadhguru, the famous spiritual leader went on to tweet how kids should be allowed to experience the joy of firecrackers. The fringe right-wing groups called for complete flouting of bans as the social media sites were filled with tweets with people showing off their ways of flouting cracker bans and encouraging others to do the same. While many argue that it's not one day that can cause these extreme levels of pollution, one needs to understand that an entire nation of 1.3 Billion if left to burst crackers was sure to have a monumental impact on the very environment which is already laden with industrial pollutants and SPMs throughout.
Why such hue and cry about traditions?
The supremacist sentiments echoing across all those who oppose the ban on crackers, have taken a great disdain towards the promotion of a safe, all-inclusive, multi-cultural celebrations of Diwali. While promoters of a safe and pollution-free Diwali are shamed and even termed "Jihadists", including those like the National Green Tribunal, Virat Kohli who was also slandered for promoting a cracker-less Diwali.
The popular Indian fashion brand FabIndia came under fire this year for an ad campaign around its new clothing line titled “Jashn-e-Riwaaz.” The phrase means “festival of tradition” in Urdu, a language that closely resembles the national language of Hindi but is commonly used by Muslims. The seller of Indian ethnic clothing deleted a tweet promoting the new range and removed the collection from its website as well after being trolled on social media by right-wing groups and people, including BJP parliamentarian Tejasvi Surya, also the president of the party’s youth wing, who said the company should pay for “deliberate misadventures.”
The controversy echoes a similar one against a jewellery company last year named Tanishq for promoting celebrations of Diwali minus the dangerous fireworks, as if promoting safety was somehow antithetical to Hinduism.
That controversy came shortly after Tanishq faced calls for a boycott over its depiction of an inter-faith marriage between a Hindu and a Muslim in an advertisement. The 43-second ad - promoting a jewellery line called "Ekatvam" (Hindi word for unity) - had been taken down from Tanishq's social media channels.
Taking objection to an advertisement by tyre major Ceat Ltd in which actor Aamir Khan is seen advising people not to burst crackers on the streets, BJP MP Anant Kumar Hegde has asked the company to also address the "problem blocking roads in the name of Namaz and noise emitted from mosques during Azan."
In a letter to the company's MD and CEO Anant Vardhan Goenka, the MP requested him to take cognisance of the recent advertisement creating an "unrest among the Hindus", and expressed hope in the future the organisation will respect the "Hindu sentiment".
Were the firecrackers always there?
While the ancient texts have always portrayed Diwali to be an all-inclusive festival of joy with opulence of Diyas, firecrackers were never supposed to be a highlight of Diwali. Diwali has always been all about preserving family values, prevalence of good of evil and sharing sweet memories with people around you.
Those who argue nationalism and call for ban against "Chinese-influence" in Diwali products certainly need to note that gunpowder which is the integral part across all firecrackers, is considered one of the "four-great inventions" of China which was being used by them as early as 10th Century.
"The use of fireworks in the celebration of Diwali, which is so common in India now, must have come into existence after about 1400 AD, when gunpowder came to be used in Indian warfare,” stated late historian P.K Gode in his account, “History of Fireworks in India between 1400 and 1900,” published in 1950. One historical conjecture is that gunpowder technology, along with the first pyrotechnical mixtures for entertainment, was brought to India and Europe from China by the Arabs.
Fireworks and pyrotechnic shows existed as a form of royal entertainment in many medieval Indian kingdoms during festivals, events and special occasions like weddings. By the eighteenth century, fireworks began to become de rigueur in grand scale Diwali entertainments organised by rulers.
To simply argue that firecrackers have always been an integral part of Diwali celebrations would be just plain wrong.
What is being done now to protect the masses?
The Supreme Court had directed the Union Government on 15th November to call an emergency meeting on November 16, Tuesday to take measures, like stopping non-essential construction, transport, power plants and implementing work from home, to control air pollution. It further noted that stubble burning contributes only 10% to air pollution in Delhi-NCR and said the “hue and cry” over the issue is “without any scientific and factual basis”. A bench, headed by Chief Justice N.V. Ramana, directed the concerned secretaries of Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab and Delhi to attend the meeting to make their submissions before the committee formed by it.
The bench also expressed its displeasure over the failure of the Centre and states — Delhi, Haryana, Punjab and Rajasthan — to suggest immediate measures to control rising air pollution in the national capital. The bench asked the Centre to decide by 17th evening on the non-essential industries that can be shut, vehicles that can be stopped, etc.
The CJI referred to the Delhi government ordering work from home for its employees and said the Centre should look at following suit since the capital has a large number of its employees.
As of now, The Delhi government on Sunday extended the ban on the entry of trucks carrying non-essential items into the city and work from home for its employees till November 26 to combat air pollution and minimise its health effects. A senior official said the ban on construction and demolition activities in Delhi has been lifted.
According to the directions of the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), schools and colleges will remain closed till further orders, he said. Following orders from the CAQM, the Delhi government had on Wednesday issued 10 directions, including a ban on the entry of trucks carrying non-essential items into the city and closure of schools and colleges, till further orders.It had also banned construction and demolition activities in the city and ordered its employees to work from home till Sunday (November 21).
Whatever be the counter measures, judging from the conditions across the Indo-Gangetic Plains with such poor Air Quality, we as Indians need to rethink our avenues of enjoyment and traditions which are surely on the way to hamper our own Right to Life. A tradition has no value if it has adverse effects on the people around us. It is high time we as citizens decided to blame bureaucracy for its inaction and rather focused on making amends within our communities to preserve our way of life and lest not turn our beautiful country into a livid Gas Chamber.
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