AIR Spotlight - Celebrating Clean and Eco-friendly Deepawali | All India Radio Newsonair

The All India Radio Newsonair daily program, AIR Spotlight, brings together distinguished panellists to discuss topics of significant importance. This article focuses on the criticality of observing an eco-friendly Diwali.

Panel Members:

1. Dr. Srikant K Panigrahi, Director General of the Indian Institute of Sustainable Development
2. Sonu Sood, AIR Correspondent

Background

• The growing air quality concerns in major cities call for a shift towards a more environmentally friendly Diwali celebration.

Diwali and Pollution

• The tradition of bursting crackers releases heat and harmful gases like SO2, CO2, CO, and PM into the atmosphere, leading to an increase in the earth's temperature and a decline in air quality.
• The usage of loud crackers that violate the noise pollution norms outlined in the Environmental Protection Act, 1986 has been noted.
• The exchange of gifts wrapped in single-use plastics has seen a rise.

Effects

• Toxic emissions have increased health risks among the elderly and children, such as asthma, chest pain, breathlessness, and even lung cancer. It has also reduced life expectancy and infringed on the right to life as protected by the Indian Constitution.
• The fireworks industry's use of child labor, which is against the International Labour Standards on Child labor, has raised concern.
• New Delhi has seen a consistent decline in air quality with an AQI of 436, making it one of the 22 most polluted cities globally.
• Plastics, which take thousands of years to decompose, end up in the oceans, affecting the dissolved oxygen levels, increasing dead zones, and entering the food chain as microplastics, causing significant health implications.
• During the winter months, pollutant dispersion is also affected due to wind conditions, increasing pollutant concentration in the atmosphere's lower levels.

Green Crackers

• Green crackers are low-emission firecrackers devoid of harmful chemicals like sulphur nitrates, arsenic, magnesium, sodium, lead, and barium.
• The Supreme Court has permitted the use of green crackers if the air quality is better than "poor".
• However, green crackers are not entirely pollution-free. According to CSIR, green crackers can only reduce emissions by up to 30% compared to regular ones.
• There has been an increasing trend of greenwashing, with more emphasis on marketing than actual reduction in air and noise pollution.

Future Directions

• There is a need to raise awareness among consumers about the potential impacts of pollution and the benefits of reducing firework usage.
• The regulatory system for green crackers needs improvement to ensure more transparent emission reduction information.
• Central and state pollution control boards need to ensure adherence to noise pollution guidelines by all involved parties.
• A shift towards eco-friendly and recyclable materials such as flowers and diyas for decorations instead of single-use plastics can be encouraged as part of the Government of India's Vocal for Local initiative.

Conclusion

• Diwali is a festival of emotional value that transcends religious boundaries in India and is part of the Indian cultural identity. The lighting of Diyas or lamps symbolizes the fight against darkness and the welcoming of light. Incorporating environmental sustainability into our practices will ensure the festival is celebrated in the true spirit.

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