Celebrate Diwali with lights, not polluting crackers: City celebs

Kolkata’s October air quality has worsened since last year, a recent report by Respirer Living Sciences has stated. And with Diwali round the corner, many are concerned that it will only get worse in November. Read on to know how this can be avoided and how you can contribute...

Dev: Celebrate Diwali with lights & diyas
So many people are suffering health-wise because of the bad air quality, which gets worse during Diwali because of the smoke produced by crackers. Think of the elderly or those with respiratory ailments before bursting crackers. I’m also a pet parent and know how the loud fireworks are torturous for pets. So, let’s celebrate this Diwali responsibly with lights and diyas and ensure a cleaner environment.

Mimi Chakraborty: Think before bursting crackers

We keep reading news of kids having respiratory disorders because of pollution. This is alarming! And I’m sure it will worsen during Diwali. It’s the festival of lights, which symbolises the triumph of light over darkness; it’s not about bursting crackers and polluting the environment. My earnest request to everyone is to be thoughtful while celebrating it.

Srabanti: My Diwali has always been about lighting diyas
I’m terrified of firecrackers as I immediately develop respiratory issues from the smoke. My Diwali has always been about lighting earthen diyas. We must take care and be responsible as citizens so that pollution decreases, and the earth becomes a healthier place to live in. I also have five pets at home and can’t explain how petrified they are on that day. Let us all make a colourful and pollution-free Diwali rather than a noisy one.

Parno Mittrah: The gas from crackers is poison for us all
The gases from exploding crackers is poisonous for all of us. Those who have pets and elderly people at home like me face a lot of problems on Diwali night, so I feel people should refrain from bursting firecrackers keeping the air and sound pollution in mind. Let Diwali be a festival of lights, as it actually is.

Prolonged exposure to polluted air causes a variety of disease, the most common being respiratory infections, allergies & obstructive airway diseases, especially among children & the elderly. It can increase chances of lung and oral cancer and also affect the central nervous system and cardiovascular system, causing strokes
– Dr MS Purkait, medical superintendent of a city multispecialty hospital

Making Diwali Sustainable
We must avoid firecrackers, because at this time of the year (approaching winters), the temperature inversion leads to a pile-up of pollutants and AQI gets dangerously high. The firecrackers add to this, as the emissions from them are very toxic, especially for children and the sick or elderly. We must also switch to more sustain-able gifting ideas and packaging, as the festival also means a lot of gifts. The decoration also can be more environment friendly. We can use beeswax & soy candles
– Ajay Mittal, environmentalist
How to have an eco-friendly Diwali
Use biodegradable wrapping papers for gifts
Swap your synthetic rangoli colours with flowers, diyas or colourful cotton balls
Buy reusable décor
Use kulhars and paper plates to serve snacks to reduce the consumption of plastic
When repainting your home, stick to water or oil-based paints with low volatile organic compounds

PM2.5
40.2% increase in Kolkata since October 2022
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