Going Crackers Over Crackers

We are all for clean and safe air drinking water sanitation housing agricultural practices, clean rivers, safe industrial growth, elimination of toxic and harmful industrial and agricultural pollutants, balanced development while protecting environment and ecology for posterity. The outrage is over the timing. Judgement comes just as diwali is around corner. Instead of outright ban if we put safety norms and regulations over the manufacture, sale and display timings of fire crackers. It would be appreciable, if Government encouraged safe alternatives seeking ideas from other developed countries on manufacture and display idead.
Cigarettes, drugs alcohol unsafe liquor diesel vehicles unchecked industrial practices spurious drugs adulterated food thrive around the year. So a sudden ban only for diwali... an idea nobody is buying. Hindu festivals seem to provoke media outrage. Ganeshotsav is environmental hazard, gokulashtami dahi handi is unsafe, why raksha bandhan... it's patriarchal, holi is unholy, dussera dandia is noisy, temple elephants festivals, jalikattu raise animal lovers protest, Jain renounciation is inhuman. Hindu fasting became feasting, but others doing is revered as matter of faithful. If we're to get critical of others we are intolerant, fundamentalist, right wing. Let's get objective. Play by rules. Get uniform laws and practices And you'll have everybody on board.

 

'Crackers have banned in Maharashtra' informed my Puneri driver when on the way to work yesterday.

"Excellent", I replied.

Silence reigned.

 

Totally agree with you. All are equal (or at least they are supposed to be) and this perversion of secularism has to be stopped. Obviously, each religion has its own festivals, so it stands to reason that they cannot be 'uniformed'. However, any practice that causes distress to man or beast has to be curtailed.

 

When i first heard about the ban on crackers this year as an experimental measure in New Delhi by the Supreme court, it truly left me wondering how successful such an attempt would be. Delhi being the most polluted city, it is also right that a beginning needs to be made in this regard.
Personally, my opinion is that crackers form a very small part of the whole issue of pollution on Delhi streets, with major contributions of vehicles, factories, sewage etc. And, for us Crackers form a very vital part of the Diwali celebrations with us lighting the first cracker much before dawn to ring in Diwali! Diwali for us is more of exchange of good will among friends/relations thro' exchange of sweets, lighting Diyas/decorations and getting together to have fireworks in the evenings which go into late night. It would surely take away the fun of the celebrations - which are however always conducted with due respect to neighbourhood convenience etc. Ofcourse if a ban is enforced we would naturally have to go along, just like all other government schemes where voice of the people is not heard at all.

 

Everyday people keep battling with the mad traffic, pollution, as if that wasnt enough, one day of crackers....
unfortunately its not for a day, have seen people bursting crackers even a month before diwali starts and ends....
A day after diwali, most of the news channel would flash of a minor or a child who got hurt while bursting crackers....

My idea of celebrating diwali is by spreading happiness, decorating your house and letting go off all the evil thoughts and becoming a better version of ourselves....