Pollution Free Diwali –A Must In Covid Times   — Brij Bhushan Goyal 

Pollution Free Diwali –A Must In Covid Times
— A guest article by Brij Bhushan Goyal

We must celebrate the festivals like Diwali and Gurpurbs by spreading light and not by extinguishing someone’s life by polluting air where it becomes difficult to breath.

Covid-19 pandemic which originated from China has engulfed every nook and corner of the world. The disease has taken a heavy toll of lives globally in the unprepared world to tackle the virus and cases are pouring in daily. When many of us are neither getting tested nor are we following essential Covid protocols of Social Distancing, Wearing Masks and Sanitizing seriously, there could be the possibility of our getting infected with the virus. If infected with Covid virus, one can get one’s lungs choked and inadequate oxygen is life threatening. Diwali festivity days require our special precaution in view of cracker burning pollution.     
Toxicity of crackers 
Deepawali pollution coupled with Stubble Burning fumes, we very well know, affect us all very badly and aggravate the breathing troubles. Covid-19 time’s air pollution thus can prove more dangerous as the virus affects our lungs. Experts opine that crackers cause extensive air pollution  leaving traces of toxic heavy metal particles like mercury, lead etc. and harmful chemicals like cadmium, manganese etc., along with high concentrations of smoke in the air for hours and days. Persons with heart or lung conditions are even more vulnerable. Incidentally, hospital staff in festival seasons is also less and we can be trapped in serious health issues by air pollution in covid times.
Parents have a responsibility
Only for the sake of momentarily pleasure of cracker bursting sounds and visuals on Deepavali day, parents should not give money to children for buying such crackers. We can donate and give Green plants along with a pledge message for celebrating a cracker free festival.
School Teachers must step in too
As most of the classes are still online, the teachers must caution and counsel their students online for not polluting air via crackers. Schools must also get undertaking from all students for not bursting polluting crackers. A sincere effort by schools thus can go a long way in making awareness against crackers pollution.
Let us help administration
Our city’s administration has been on tenterhooks always for keeping us safe from the Covid-19 virus. However, this Deepawali, we all need to take special care this Deepawali so that we do not scuttle the Govt. effort to control the disease. Administration is requested to issue suitable guidelines for ensuring clean Deepawali this year and should heavily penalize those who falter. Many people even crack ‘patakhas’ in religious processions right in the morning and also in marriage functions thus spreading air pollution as well as disturbing others’ sleep through crackers’ noise. Thus, the timings for cracker burn and types of crackers to be allowed be told to people in advance. While it is imperative that the public acts responsibly, the administration is also requested to get tough with the offenders who pollute air through crackers which also add to sound pollution. A helpline number by the police can be given for complaints against cracker burning.
It’s our life-let us respect it
Already many people with weak body stamina were hospitalized and many of us having tested positive for Covid-19 quarantined at homes itself in the recent past. No sure shot panacea for cure has been available in the market so far. Many people in our own vicinity or relations have already died this year that we all know. We should not further vitiate the air as the Air Quality Index is already deteriorating and green cover is eroding.
We must celebrate the festivals like Diwali and Gurpurbs by spreading light and not by extinguishing someone’s life by polluting air where it becomes difficult to breath. Our Gurus have already given dictum: “Pavan Guru,Pani Pita, Mata Dharat Mahat …”— Air is the Guru, Water the Father, and Earth, the great Mother .We ought to respect our seers.
Brij Bhushan Goyal —A social activist