DNA Special: Just firecrackers cause pollution, not stubble?

You must have seen that at this time, more discussion is being carried out about firecrackers and air pollution caused by them in the whole country. There is a debate in different courts of the country whether there should be a partial ban on firecrackers or a complete ban. If we conclude the judgments of all the courts on this issue, it is that wherever the air quality is poor or even in the normal category, the use of firecrackers cannot be allowed only in view of the festival of Diwali. And we don't mind either. If only crackers are the cause of pollution, then they must be banned. But here we also have a question. The festival of Diwali has not arrived yet. The whole country will celebrate Diwali tomorrow. But 24 hours before this, air pollution has reached the dangerous category in most states of North India. Talking about Delhi alone, Air Quality Index 213 was recorded here today.

The air quality is considered poor if the AQI is between 200 and 250. Since neither Diwali has come yet nor crackers have been burst, then where did this pollution come from? If firecrackers are the major cause of pollution and the attention of all the courts is on this, then how did the air of North India become so much polluted in the last one week? The first reason among these is the stubble burning by the farmers. At present, 40 per cent of the pollution in Delhi's air is due to stubble, 28 per cent is due to vehicles, and about 30 per cent is due to construction. 

It's not that these reasons weren't there before. Last year also on November 3, pollution in Delhi was at a dangerous level and the share of stubble in this pollution was around 50 per cent. That is, if the courts of our country give as much emphasis on the pollution caused by firecrackers, if the same emphasis was given on stopping the burning of stubble, then perhaps the air of North India would have been a little cleaner today. But the truth is that as soon as the festival of Diwali comes, everyone starts worrying about firecrackers, but no one talks about the pollution caused by stubble.

Although the central government had brought an ordinance last year, under which a maximum fine of one crore rupees was imposed on the people who burnt the stubble, but the farmers sitting on the borders of Delhi pressurised the government to exempt them from this law and the central government also accepted this. The point to be noted in this is that the Supreme Court did not take any suo motu cognizance of it then. Whereas if the government had taken such a decision in the case of firecrackers, then perhaps the hearing in the courts would have started the next day itself.

It is also a strange irony that in our country when firecrackers are burst on the victory of Pakistan, the idea of ​​expression is in the smoke of these firecrackers. But when it comes to bursting crackers on Diwali, the smoke from these crackers takes a communal form. And this does not happen on any one Hindu festival. A campaign is started on all Hindu festivals, in which the traditions associated with the festival are challenged in the name of social change.

Like on Holi, it is said that this time do not waste water and use only organic colours. It is said on Diwali not to burst crackers as it causes pollution. Slogans like Eco-Friendly Diwali are given. An appeal is made on Ganesh Chaturthi that people should bring eco-friendly idols to their homes so that the seawater is not contaminated during immersion. The festival of Navratri is associated with crimes against women. And some people run their agenda under its guise. And a similar campaign is also run on the festival of Rakhi.

But have you seen any such campaign against the festivals of other religions? Is there a debate on the sacrifice of animals on Eid, just as a debate starts on the use of firecrackers in the country before Diwali? Whereas according to a study by the National Academy of Sciences of America, one of the reasons for pollution is killing animals. But the courts of our country review the pollution caused by firecrackers before Diwali but there is no mention of such issues before Eid.

Nowadays, another new campaign has started on all these festivals, in which people are asked to give chocolates instead of sweets. Think of the country where there is a tradition of making Gujiya in homes on Holi, on Diwali people make different sweets of gram flour and dry fruits, Modaks are prepared on Ganesh Chaturthi, on these festivals in that country, people are told that by not eating sweets, this time they should eat chocolate. And many people of our country also get affected by this kind of campaign.

But our question is again the same. Have you heard anyone saying on the festival of Eid that this time, eat chocolates instead of seviyan or on Christmas festival one should celebrate by eating chocolate instead of cake? We believe that all religions have different traditions related to festivals and all these traditions should be respected equally. Just like Eid is incomplete without sevaiyans, Christmas is incomplete without cakes, similarly, the festivals of Holi and Diwali are also incomplete without sweets.

It may be that today, some people do not like these things of ours. And they may accuse us of being communal. But the truth is that we are telling you the same things which are happening in this country nowadays. But the problem is that no one has the courage to raise their voice on this.