Calling for a ban on firecrackers

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Let me first confess that I used to enjoy playing with firecrackers, although its been over 5 years since the last time i did. Theres just something about seeing that pop of colour and seeing the light you ignited hit the sky- that stirs a gush of excitement within me. Even this year, seeing the colours erupt around the city at night, was undeniably a sight to behold.

 It was a sight to behold, but the sounds werent too pleasant. My two cats spent the better part of last weak hiding under beds, trembling and cowering.

Here are two photos, both taken from my living room in our 24th storey flat, which offers a view of the sea and the Bandra-Worli sealink. The first one was taken on October 25th, the day after Diwali at 8:30 am. 




The normally azure blue of the sky was obscured by a thick sheet of smog. 




  The second photo was taken today, October 30th, at roughly the same time. While clearly an improvement, the sky hasnt regained its clear blue, and the smog still blurs the view of the sealink.

There are many in India who depend on the firecracker industry to earn a livelihood. Firecrackers are also supposed to symbolise the spirit of Diwali. People say that firecrackers arent the only source of polution, or the biggest. "We drive cars every day, everywhere and cars cause pollution", they say. 

And all of this is true. And yet, the immense damage done by firecrackers is undeniable. We can't do away with cars. We can easily do without firecrackers.  Diwali is the festival of light, not firecrackers.

I believe the time has come for us to have a complete ban on firecrackers. We need to stop using firecrackers to celebrate anything. We should not have fireworks displays to herald the New Year or to open the Olympic Games.  The government should offer some form of compensation to those who work in the fireworks industry.

As the rate of global warming increases and as climate change causes floods across the world, we should do everything possible to reduce pollution. Ceasing the use of firecrackers could be top of this to-do list.

I am in the midst of my first term exams and so, this is a hurried post, but I shall write more on this, when I get the time.

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