When there are worldwide awareness campaigns for protecting the environment, India is one of those countries where this protection is conditional. Bursting firecrackers during Diwali is a tradition, bursting firecrackers on many occasions is a part of our celebrations, firecrackers are very much acceptable in our Indian culture.
When a recent incident took place in Aarey Mumbai, a huge number of supporters were seen opposing the cutting down of trees. This means that Indians are worried about the environment, and they are doing something about it! The government has also done a lot to spread awareness about not using plastic, keeping surroundings clean, not busting firecrackers, etc.
But is the government only responsible for cleaning the mess people make during Diwali? Or to keep a check on air pollution during Diwali? Blaming the government is not enough; after all, we are the ones who have to live in polluted places. In just a few hours, Delhi’s air quality was marked “Hazardous” during Diwali. It is like smoking 50 cigarettes a day.
There have been campaigns where people have shared pictures of themselves of cleaning the polluted surroundings, cleaning beaches etc., but still, there is a large number of people who do not care about pollution because it is Diwali! They hold an official license to pollute! There is already a lot of problems we are facing, and they are adding to it because that’s what they have been doing for years and generations. It’s time we did something to make our future safe.
People must understand why bursting crackers is harmful and opt for a green Diwali instead. The chemicals released from firecrackers, the noise pollution caused, and the damage done will only add to global warming.