Open House: Will the 2-hour window for bursting ‘Green’ crackers curb air pollution?

All we need is total ban on crackers

Though the state government has allowed a two-hour window for green crackers only on Diwali and Gurpurb, it does not mean that there would be no violation of the order. As there is availability of firecrackers in abundance in markets, people must buy and burst the crackers. Do you think people will check whether these are green ones? Crackers-free Diwali and Gurpurb are possible only with the cooperation of people. A blanket ban on the manufacturing and sale of crackers can help check air pollution to a great extent on these occasions. Since there is a lack of political will to impose a blanket ban on firecrackers, the Supreme Court intervention must go a long way in bringing to an end ‘the festival of noise and pollution’. Last year, the Supreme Court had also allowed a 2-hour window, but crackers were burst for around 12 hours. Moreover, it is not humanly possible for the police to visit every site of violation of orders. Even if a law-abiding family obeys the directive, they cannot be blamed for not reporting that which family in their neighbourhood burst crackers beyond the permitted time limit. Though there is a possibility of a strong backlash from various quarters who try to interpret the ban in a religious framework, such dissents are normal in a democracy. It is wrong to view any ban through a prism of religious discrimination. The ban should have been announced much earlier so that the dealers could think twice before stocking crackers in a large quantity at the start of the festival season. A ban may seem to be a deviation from the traditional celebrations, but there is no other choice as it concerns the health of millions. On the other hand, the blanket ban must affect the livelihood of thousands of people connected to the billion-dollar industry. But for the larger public interest, some harsh decisions must be taken.

LJ SINGH

Time-limit order a timely decision

The decision of the state government to allow the bursting of “green” crackers only for two hours and not to allow e-commerce sites to sell and deliver these in the state deserves all praise. All of us are well aware of the ill-effects of crackers as these pollute the environment with toxic gases they emit. The air quality, which is already very poor, gets deteriorated. Children, elderly people, patients and especially those suffering from asthma or related health problems are worst sufferers. Even animals and birds get affected as they get disturbed by the loud noise of crackers and inescapable inhalation of poisonous gases. The measures taken by the government will prove effective only if people strictly follow these restrictions and the law-enforcing agencies perform their duties sincerely.

Avtar Singh

Strict implementation of order a must

I think such measures, taken by the state government, will ever be successful in curbing air pollution. For the past few years, many state governments have allowed people to burst green crackers only for two hours on Diwali and Gurpurb, but such directives have always failed due to lack of strict implementation of the order. Police officials never care much about the state government’s diktats, so a two-hour ban has never been successful in the past. However, the move to prohibit e-commerce sites from selling and delivering crackers in the state can prove to be successful as any move by e-commerce sites can be traced through the Internet and offenders can be nabbed easily.

SANJAY CHAWLA

Move seems better than earlier ones

People, especially Punjabis, celebrate festivals with enthusiasm. For that matter, the festival of lights and the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev. Both days have a special significance for the members of the Sikh community. Therefore, besides sharing sweets and gifts, they burn crackers at night. No doubt, festivals are integral part of the lives of Punjabis, but at the same time, the safety of the environment can’t be ignored. Hence, keeping in mind both environment and feelings of people, the Punjab Government has given the permission to burn green crackers for two hours, which is quite appreciable. Besides, authorities have also prohibited online sellers from selling these things because monitoring the online platforms is very difficult. As the reach of online platforms is uncountable, the government cannot blame them for violating the rules. Moreover, local shopkeepers can be easily located by the police and other authorities if they violate the rules. Hence, this decision seems far better than the previous ones taken by the Punjab Government.

Navjeet Kaur

A national policy on crackers needed

It is not possible to control air pollution by imposing a ban on firecrackers as has been done by Delhi Government. Neither can it be done by giving a two-hour window for bursting green crackers on Diwali and Gurpurb as done by the Punjab Government. In July this year, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) imposed a fine of Rs 100 crore on the Ludhiana Municipal Corporation for deaths caused due to fires at garbage dumps. Similarly, the NGT imposed a fine of Rs 900 crore on the Delhi Government and Rs 2,000 crore on the Punjab Government due to their failure to treat the waste at dump sites. Such incidents do cause a lot of air pollution, but the state governments have failed to handle the problem properly. So, governments must practise what they preach to public. Stubble burning is the main cause of air pollution, instead of controlling the same, there has been a drastic increase in the cases of stubble burning. To avoid stubble burning, the techniques suggested by governments are very costly, hence they are not viable. Now, the Delhi Government imposed a complete ban on production, sale and use of all types of crackers, including green ones, but the same has been challenged in the Supreme Court by BJP MP Manoj Tiwari. We do play politics in every decision. Let the Central Government frame a national policy on the manufacturing, sale and use of firecrackers.

Naresh Johar

Green crackers not a proper solution

Since green crackers can only be produced by those manufacturers who have signed a deal with the the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR), the local cracker-makers would be rendered jobless. Moreover, green crackers are not a proper solution to deal with the rising air pollution. Anyways, it is a good initiative.

Khushkaran Singh

QUESTION

The state government has decided to restore the old pension scheme for its employees. How do you view the decision in the context of the state’s poor financial condition?

Suggestions in not more than 200 words can be sent to amritsardesk@tribunemail.com by Thursday (October 27)

#Diwali #Environment #Pollution