Tradition V/S Statute
After a Diwali comprising an amalgamation of highly toxic gases, smoke and other harmful respirable gases blanketing over the Indian capital and triggering health alarms in 2016, the apex court enforced a ban till November 1, 2017on bursting crackers within the periphery of Delhi and the National Capital Region(NCR).Although its a good step in the right direction, the apex court order has received criticism from various fringe groups. The recent one being from the Azad Hind Fauj, led by a man named Satpal Malhotra who was found bursting crackers along with 14 others, within the Supreme Court's premises on Tuesday evening. They took sanctuary in the fact that the 'SC had banned the sale of firecrackers and not bursting them'. However the question still remains the same, do we consider our time-honoured traditions and values as our topmost priority or is the fiat above them all? The newly imposed dictum has sparked off a debate across the entire country. Of course, every story is a double-edged sword, there are the pros as well as the cons.
The first argument that comes against this embargo is that it is most likely to take a huge toll on the employment levels- on all those daily wage workers, manufacturers and traders who had either given orders prior to Diwali or were manufacturing in the outskirts of the city. There are several people who work in this sector and it was a huge blow on their pay scale after the supreme court order had been enforced. Many say they could perhaps resort to some other means of employment until the ban is revoked. But isn’t it easier said than done? The second argument that again is a blot on the order is about the archaic custom that we have been following since centuries. As Diwali is prominently alluded as the ‘festival of lights’, it’s ineffable to even think about spending a ‘cracker-free Diwali’ without the sparkles and joy of bursting crackers which are palpable on a child’s face.
Coming to the arguments that are pouring in for this dictum is about the environmental hazard that is spiking year after year. The fumes left behind by automobiles, Diesel engines and other pollutants are turning our future black. Delhi is chocking every year along with other health issues such as Asthama, lung diseases, breathing problems and so on and so forth. All these factors become an impediment in our overall development since most of the population has occupied the hospital beds in Delhi due to the impending diseases that are striking year after year. Ironically, despite the ban, the pollution levels haven’t subsided. Belying to the estimations that this year perhaps pollution levels will stair down the abyss, it turned out to be that the air quality index(API) in Delhi is 326 according to a report by India Today. Perplexingly Mumbai too has added its name in this infamous list with an API of 204. This problem is striking year after year with unending set of diseases and health issues. The next argument that is perhaps not a key issue for this ban, is the storing and the transportation of firecrackers which is highly inflammable and every year some or the other store catches fire.
In the end, when we get to the bottom of it, the crux of the matter is quite evident that these issues need to be dealt with extreme measures. It’s like a cloud on the horizon since if they don’t affect us, they will certainly affect our future generation. The only solution that this problem offers us is that we perhaps cannot ban the use of fire crackers, but at least we can mitigate or regulate the use. Often during Diwali we see, children and college going students coming out on the streets sloganeering and trying to spread awareness about this stumbling block. In fact many argue that this should be a highly mandated ‘people’s movement’. If these guidelines are flouted, then only we MUST hold ourselves accountable to ruin our upcoming generation’s future and making it bleak. .
The first argument that comes against this embargo is that it is most likely to take a huge toll on the employment levels- on all those daily wage workers, manufacturers and traders who had either given orders prior to Diwali or were manufacturing in the outskirts of the city. There are several people who work in this sector and it was a huge blow on their pay scale after the supreme court order had been enforced. Many say they could perhaps resort to some other means of employment until the ban is revoked. But isn’t it easier said than done? The second argument that again is a blot on the order is about the archaic custom that we have been following since centuries. As Diwali is prominently alluded as the ‘festival of lights’, it’s ineffable to even think about spending a ‘cracker-free Diwali’ without the sparkles and joy of bursting crackers which are palpable on a child’s face.
Coming to the arguments that are pouring in for this dictum is about the environmental hazard that is spiking year after year. The fumes left behind by automobiles, Diesel engines and other pollutants are turning our future black. Delhi is chocking every year along with other health issues such as Asthama, lung diseases, breathing problems and so on and so forth. All these factors become an impediment in our overall development since most of the population has occupied the hospital beds in Delhi due to the impending diseases that are striking year after year. Ironically, despite the ban, the pollution levels haven’t subsided. Belying to the estimations that this year perhaps pollution levels will stair down the abyss, it turned out to be that the air quality index(API) in Delhi is 326 according to a report by India Today. Perplexingly Mumbai too has added its name in this infamous list with an API of 204. This problem is striking year after year with unending set of diseases and health issues. The next argument that is perhaps not a key issue for this ban, is the storing and the transportation of firecrackers which is highly inflammable and every year some or the other store catches fire.
In the end, when we get to the bottom of it, the crux of the matter is quite evident that these issues need to be dealt with extreme measures. It’s like a cloud on the horizon since if they don’t affect us, they will certainly affect our future generation. The only solution that this problem offers us is that we perhaps cannot ban the use of fire crackers, but at least we can mitigate or regulate the use. Often during Diwali we see, children and college going students coming out on the streets sloganeering and trying to spread awareness about this stumbling block. In fact many argue that this should be a highly mandated ‘people’s movement’. If these guidelines are flouted, then only we MUST hold ourselves accountable to ruin our upcoming generation’s future and making it bleak. .
It must be considered that firecrackers could not had been a part of any celebration until the time when their formula was exported from China, the place of gunpowder's invention. Traditions related to diwali such as making clay toys and clay forts had vanished in the wake of 'Fire Diwali'. And believe me Navya no child will burn a cracker when he'll be made to inhale the fumes from this fire. People had taken the 'self-cleansing' mechanism of the atmosphere for granted, but the trutthh is that the winds do not always let us away from our sins.
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