New Delhi: The Indian Supreme Court’s (SC) ban, which responds to petitions flagging deadly pollution in the national capital, means that firecrackers will not be sold in Delhi on Diwali next Thursday. But those who had already bought firecrackers can still burst them.
Many feel the SC has given a good decision allowing people to breathe clean and pollution-free air.
“If we want our future generations to live peacefully and healthy, then we need to take stringent measures now. Celebrating festivals is good but not at the cost or public health. Firecrackers pollute the already polluted city more. There is no need to make a hue and cry if firecrackers are banned,” says civil rights activist Rajiv Mittal, 39.
Architect Manoranjan Sinha, 28, believes the apex court should follow it up with preventing noise pollution by banning the use of loud speakers during festivals.
“I think it is high time that the Supreme Court altogether banned all harmful things like firecrackers, cigarettes, alcohol, loud speakers etc. Loud speakers particularly have become a nuisance with their daily cacophony. Why just limit fireworks?,” asks Sinha.
There are others who feel the judgement is “an overindulgence by the apex court”.
“By first banning Jallikattu [in Tamil Nadu] and burning of crackers on Diwali, the Supreme Court is targeting Hindu festivals one after the other. It is now getting into the homes of Hindus and invading their traditions and culture. Why does not it ban cracker bursting during marriages and other celebrations? Why does not it ban chemical and pharma companies from being established close to residential areas?,” asks civil engineer Anirudh Kashyap, 46.
But it is indeed strange how people are trying to pull in Hindu-Muslim debate on the SC judgement.
“The world over, in hundreds of countries, people burn crackers on Christmas and New Year but the way the Supreme Court banned firecrackers on Diwali in the name of pollution is disgusting. More so as it ignores the pollution caused due to animal sacrifice by followers of a particular religion,” says 25-year-old software engineer Neeraj Kapoor.
However, the majority still feels the SC judgement must be respected.
“Be sensible and understand your responsibility. Diwali is a festival of prayers, lights and feasting and not of crackers. Period. No festival should be allowed to be celebrated in a way that it causes noise, air and water pollution. Period. Enough of your Hindu and Muslim crying. Be Indian, and respect your environment and the judgement of the land,” says interior designer Shikha Sharma, 36.
“The top court has just banned crackers. Is there nothing else in the festival of Diwali — prayers, parties with friends and relatives, food and sweets, dresses, lights, and more? All that is suddenly irrelevant just because some smart campaign can be built to help religious politics,” Sharma adds.
