Don't blame Diwali if you are gasping for air in the national capital

Thick smog envelops Delhi-NCR after yet another Diwali. But it's not the festival that you can blame. The problem lies in our mindset.

Pic courtesy: Reuters

The morning after Diwali didn't look like a very happy one for the residents of Delhi-NCR. At least, environmentally. A thick blanket of toxic smog engulfed the entire region, as the Delhi government's 'cracker ban' on Diwali literally went up in smoke.

According to a report in Reuters, the Air Quality Index (AQI) in the capital surged to 451 on a scale of 500 - the maximum recorded this year - indicating "severe" conditions that affect healthy people and seriously impacts those with existing diseases. All the neighbouring areas - Faridabad, Ghaziabad, Gurgaon and Noida also recorded 'severe' air quality.

But what's more worrying is that this isn't new. Is this not going on for a little too long now? Every year, we end up in the same space which is followed - and preceded - by the same set of arguments. Why blame only the crackers when there are vehicles adding to the pollution, when there's stubble burning and of course, the fact that bursting crackers is an inseparable part of Diwali festivities and banning them is being 'anti-Hindu'.

Let's take the last point first. Because festivals are all about emotions, and we Indians take our festivals very seriously. Believed to be the world's oldest religion by many scholars, Hinduism is known to have roots and customs dating back more than 4,000 years. Whereas, firecrackers are said to have made their way into India only in the 13th century.  In “History of Fireworks in India between 1400 and 1900,” published in 1950,  late historian P.K. Gode in his account stated, “The use of fireworks in the celebration of Diwali, which is so common in India now, must have come into existence after about 1400 AD, when gunpowder came to be used in Indian warfare."

We have no proof that people of Ayodhya had burnt fireworks on the arrival of Lord Rama, but there's scriptural evidence that joyous people lit diyas. It is said that it was the Chinese alchemists who accidentally discovered gunpowder - key ingredient of fireworks - between 10th and 11th century while the use of firecrackers flourished in the Mughal reign in India. So, it's definitely a far more 'current' trend and does not attack the sentiments of a religion as old as Hinduism.

But yes, we have been bursting crackers for a long time, nevertheless, on Diwali. However, times change. The world has changed and so has its air. The pollution level in the capital and several other cities in India (and around the world) are in such precarious state that they pose a severe health threat to the coming generation.

Now coming to the part of depriving children the 'fun'. Yes, we might have had fun bursting crackers while we were children, but we were deprived of several joys that kids today have and we have survived. And so will the children, literally, even if they are 'deprived' of the 'joys' of cracker bursting. A healthy planet that lets them breathe and grow into healthy adults, and see kids of their own - of course if they chose to - this would be far more joyous for them than the temporary high of firecrackers. We lived in a different time and we did not know better. Now that we know how toxic this pollution can be, are we going to sit by and watch our children inhale this air?

Pollution is definitely caused by stubble burning in the capital. Vehicular and industrial emission are also important factors and should be addressed with equal seriousness. But dismissing one valid issue by pointing at other existing problems, won't lead us to any solution.

The farmers need to stop burning stubbles and for that, the governments need to help them with adequate infrastructure. A future should be envisioned with clean fuel and electric cars in mind. Parents also need to understand it's essential to pass on the right message to children. Say no to crackers for the kids' sake. No one issue is responsible for the hazardous air, but we need to be worried. Very worried. And we all need act and do out bit.

Here's wishing light and joy!