Diwali is India’s version of Christmas. While the meanings behind each holiday are vastly different, the grandeur, hope, and ethos inspired during both occasions are shared. While the West tends to hold civilian activities to environmental standards, upholding environmental laws and regulations is a work-in-progress in India – and Diwali can be a time when the environment is misused during celebratory rituals.
What is Diwali?
Diwali literally means the festival of lights and is celebrated in Hinduism to represent the spiritual victory of “light over darkness.” During the celebration, buildings, homes and temples are lit with candles and lights. Part of this celebration welcomes the use of firecrackers, which has often been a source of human and environmental concern. The Earth Saviours foundation has a nationwide Anti-Firecrackers Awareness Campaign in hopes of controlling noise and air pollution from the use of firecrackers during Diwali.
Fireworks affect the ambient air quality due to the emissions of various gases and trace metals produced on Diwali. While the Supreme Court of India has ordered Indians not to burn firecrackers after 10 p.m., many people violate the law. The fireworks cause major disruptions to surrounding wildlife, and vulnerable individuals like infants and the elderly.
India’s History with Fireworks:
The first fireworks factory was established in Kolkata in the nineteenth century. After the country gained independence, Tamil Nadu became the central hub for firecracker production. Despite being the world’s second largest firecracker producer, India doesn’t export them because of unsafe storage and shipping standards.
In factories, the chemicals used to make these explosives are poorly handled and safety regulations are not employed. Workers are mainly uninsured and medical facilities to treat potential injuries are few and far between. The industry has been synonymous with child labour, as they are paid half as much as adults and their hands are considered more ideal for working with small firecrackers used on Diwali.
The Earth Saviours has made efforts to eradicate the misuse of firecrackers, and has been able to convince some of the masses to not purchase them. Still, their efforts are often fleeting because of ideas surrounding environmentalism in the country.
Check out the foundation’s website for more information: https://earthsaviours.in
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