HYDERABAD: With several states, including Rajasthan, Odisha and Delhi, banning firecrackers this Diwali, the demand for such a ban is growing among city residents as well. The twin problems of Covid-19 and rising air pollution have made people wary of bursting crackers.
Taking to Twitter and tagging minister KT Ramarao, Arun Amaram (@arunamaram) said: “Ban crackers for Diwali now for at least in Hyderabad.” Kunal Mahendra (KunalMahendra6) said: “Hyderabad AQI has not improved. Hopefully this year crackers are banned in Hyd...let’s move towards a green city.”
Data from the Telangana Pollution Control Board justifies claims of worsening air quality in the city. The Air Quality Index (AQI), used to gauge the comparative quality of air in the country, has touched a high of 167 this past week for a city which has seen levels well under 100 till a month ago.
During Covid-19, when respiratory problems are a concern, people cannot be more worried. Several women, under the aegis of the pan-India group ‘Warrior Moms’ that raises awareness on pollution, brought to the fore their concerns on Friday.
Sriparna Das, a part of the group, said: “A festival is for everyone. It should not be a source of misery for the vulnerable, both humans and animals. Especially with Covid-19, we have to take care of the air that we breathe, it is our lifeline.”
Said another mother from the group, Natasha Ramarathnam, “As a mother, I dread the coming of Diwali, because I know that the smoke emitted by the crackers will cause respiratory ailments in the entire family. This could be worse this year, because we do not know the effect of the chemicals on Covid-19 patients. Festivals should be joyful, not feared. Please ban the sale of firecrackers.”
“Honestly while we think that children are actually having fun by bursting crackers, the actual fact is that we are gifting them poisonous gases like SO2, NOX, CO as well as metallic substance fumes like zinc, lead, magnesium etc which are highly reactive and can cause a number of respiratory, anemic and fever like complications. These might not surface immediately but will stay as underlying health issues and cause problems,” said environmental activist Kaajal Maheshwari.