[Nissan1180]

Originally Posted by V.Narayan

Will I burn fireworks this Diwali - a big yes I will. Fire works, Deepavali lights on the house/balcony, sweets, oil lamps - the whole lot. Pollution in Delhi-NCR - well uncovered construction sites; roads dug up and never paved back leaving the dust to fly unhindered; open areas not grassed over; two-wheelers; trucks - they are the big trouble makers in Delhi not to talk of crop burning. By going after Deepavali the Honourable Supreme Court is going after 1/365th of the problem.

Glad that someone posted an opinion that's based on realistic facts. In India, we have trucks that have no pollution certificates. Trains that don't confirm to any emissions norms. Power plants that don't need to run on natural gas. Farmers burning stubble that causes the smog in Delhi. I can go on and on. I don't get why burning crackers for a few days is singled out as a solution to our pollution worse. Anyone who worked in a small manufacturing firm knows that the pollution control equipment is switched off at night when there is no threat of a raid by PCB officials.

Instead of forcing our firework industry to innovate, become less emission agnostic and develop world class products that can be exported, we decide to go on the usual path of banning.

20+year old cars routinely run on the roads of the countries with the cleanest air. They don't have diesel vehicle bans or 15 year old car bans. They have a legislature that thinks scientifically and develops laws that are based on facts, not opinions.

[RoadTiger]

I am all for some crackers - those that are less noisy because that is being sensitive to the larger community. Honestly, I don't like the idea of the Courts intervening in what is a religious tradition at least in my community. Crackers are a way of celebrating with your family and community.

Yes - they pollute a wee bit certainly for a few hours - but so does my existence for the time I inhabit the planet. Our vehicles, the energy we consume, the electronics we use, the paper we read are all contributors to degradation of the environment - why single out a certain religious tradition for censure and make it as if it is a villain.

To each one his/ her own - those who don't want to burst crackers, respect your thought process & sentiments - but by the same token, respect mine. Don't make me feel guilty or lecture me about a festival that essentially is about joy and virtuosity.

Happy Diwali !!!

[msdivy]

Burning fire crackers during events is recent development, the practice came into being with development of modern fire cracker manufacturing industry. Before this industry developed and the corresponding logistics and distribution network, the common people didn't have access to crackers. So bursting fire crackers is not ancient tradition.

Secondly, it is not that courts are taking up the issue suo moto. There is an affected party which has filed the case, the matter has come before the court. So it is unfair to blame courts for interfering in the festive practice.

[srishiva]

Originally Posted by msdivy

Burning fire crackers during events is recent development, the practice came into being with development of modern fire cracker manufacturing industry. Before this industry developed and the corresponding logistics and distribution network, the common people didn't have access to crackers. So bursting fire crackers is not ancient tradition.

Secondly, it is not that courts are taking up the issue suo moto. There is an affected party which has filed the case, the matter has come before the court. So it is unfair to blame courts for interfering in the festive practice.

Agree, but the courts should try to get recommendations from experts and involve general populace. What happened to the mandals or whatever the Delhi govt planned ? Why cant these be debated there ? Its their own health and they will come out with something that they will follow.

Regarding govt's duty, courts need to put someone behind bars for a change.

[ramzsys]

Originally Posted by srishiva

What happened to the mandals or whatever the Delhi govt planned ? Why cant these be debated there ? Its their own health and they will come out.

On a lighter note: maybe due to current Delhi air quality, people aren't coming out to debate.

[Kosfactor]

I voted yes. We do not buy crackers but the sparklers which are colorful. We avoid anything that moves around too much like the rocket types or lanterns , they are fire hazards in cities.

We do require some guidelines as to when and how and what type should be permissible out in the open and manufacturing should be as per these guidelines.

I do not think the current guidelines are going to work for the whole country, it should be left to individual state governments to govern.

[V.Narayan]

Originally Posted by Nissan1180

Instead of forcing our firework industry to innovate, become less emission agnostic and develop world class products that can be exported, we decide to go on the usual path of banning.

Well said. That would be the route to take. But far too many of our Govt. bureaucrats and Respected Judges don't think of answers beyond banning. Modulation they don't understand.

Originally Posted by RoadTiger

Yes - they pollute a wee bit certainly for a few hours - but so does my existence for the time I inhabit the planet. Our vehicles, the energy we consume, the electronics we use, the paper we read are all contributors to degradation of the environment - why single out a certain religious tradition for censure and make it as if it is a villain.

Thank you for saying this. The majority religion is an easy target. But this forum may not be the place to go down that path for discussion.

Originally Posted by msdivy

Secondly, it is not that courts are taking up the issue suo moto. There is an affected party which has filed the case, the matter has come before the court. So it is unfair to blame courts for interfering in the festive practice.

The Honourable SC may not have initiated this but it had the choice of a more nuanced and thought through judgement. The harsh and sudden way they clamped down last year at the nth minute reflected an attitude they would never dare impose on any other religion's practices.

[msdivy]

Originally Posted by V.Narayan

Well said. That would be the route to take. But far too many of our Govt. bureaucrats and Respected Judges don't think of answers beyond banning. Modulation they don't understand.

Thank you for saying this. The majority religion is an easy target. But this forum may not be the place to go down that path for discussion.

The Honourable SC may not have initiated this but it had the choice of a more nuanced and thought through judgement. The harsh and sudden way they clamped down last year at the nth minute reflected an attitude they would never dare impose on any other religion's practices.

If an issue is taken to court, it going to be interpreted according to the principles of the constitution of India which are,
1. Right to equality
2. Right to freedom
3. Right against exploitation
4. Right to education and culture
5. Right to constitutional remedies

Prosecution tries to prove one or many of these are violated. While defense tries to prove none of these are violated. I don't think the courts, in general, are biased towards any party.

In this case, not sure why the cracker lobby failed to put up sufficient evidence to propagate their case.

[BoneCollector]

Originally Posted by BoneCollector

I've not been a fan of bursting crackers just because of the sudden shock it creates, more to do with noise than air. But at the cost of being reprimanded, I would say that this ban by SC is a stupid move considering there are many more ways pollution is happening than only crackers. If SC is so much concerned about air pollution due to crackers, they should have banned it's production and storage in India rather than just ban it's sale in Delhi-NCR. And since SC is at it, might as well ban a few more things which damage our water resources. Why single out one festival?

Quoting my earlier post from last year, I'm still not happy with the sudden shock a cracker causes, I just hate it. But then since last few years when intellectuals have started coming all out guns blazing for Diwali and Holi with the SC giving them full support, I've started with non-noise polluting firecrackers and playing colorful Holi, not colorless or waterless. Everything can be done properly with moderation. Why singling out these festivals? If SC is so interested in curbing pollution, it should start from clamping down on the governments to ensure that there is no stubble burning and the farmers are well compensated. Control over construction dust is also a must.

Something similar is happening in Bihar where there is near ZERO system of waste management and pollution control. We have many cities figuring prominently in top 10 most polluted cities of India, mine included. A certain someone files a PIL in NGT to know how waste management is done in hospitals of Bihar. The government goes on to implement a diktat only on private hospitals and clinics to install ETP (Effluent Treatment Plant) this year and STP (Sewage Treatment Plant) by next year end. Irony is, none of the government run hospitals or PHCs or any healthcare institution has any waste management system. Everything is on paper. Now we are running around to get these. If we can't get it done, our clinic/hospital needs to be shut down. Sorry for the rant but this has been the story in India always , if the government or SC doesn't like something, just ban it or throw the onus on the people and absolve themselves of any wrongdoing.

Anyway, Happy Diwali in advance to all.

[dark.knight]

Let's not bring in religion as a reason for bursting or not bursting crackers, that is played out way too much.

I'm from the same religion, and I'm proud of that.. but the scope of this particular festival within the wide umbrella that is Sanatana Dharma is like 1%, if not zilch, zero. To me this festival has absolutely no relevance to what spirituality is or for what Hinduism stands for. As a Brahman, worshipping or celebrating a mere king (avatar) is also highly sacrilegious.

I've gone through the usual childhood of bursting crackers every Diwali, because if you don't you feel left out and sad.. but that was me as a child. For the past 10 years I'm proud to say that I've not participated in this nonsense of lights, colors and bollywoodesque pomp and grandeur, it has less to do with spirituality and more to do with materialism if anything.

Having said that, life is evolution and evolution is gradual.. nothing happens in 1 day. Like I evolved, like many are evolving (last year festivities were at an all-time low in my neighborhood) I hope we can look beyond customs and traditions, and not confuse a billion dollar sales industry season for spirituality.

[shankar.balan]

All sensible people in these days of heightened pollution, both atmospheric and decibel - led, ought to just light lamps. Much prettier. And far less wasteful.
Also, Pets, Elderly People etc, will benefit with less air pollution and noise.

[RajBajwa]

I will burst crackers. Well, not the noisy ones which I hate. It will be the sky shots or the sky dazzling fireworks which light up the sky with colour and flashes of light. I do it in moderation on the evening of Diwali/Laxmi Puja day.

I do not have any defense. Yes, these fireworks will make the air unbreathable and the city sky will be full of smoke for a few hours after the whole Diwali fireworks dazzle show is over. I will feel guilty. I still am doing it. Over the past couple of years I am observing the trend that most citizens are getting conscious of the whole fireworks menace. It is reducing year over year and the government regulatory bodies are going to clamp down on this more heavily in coming times. I may feel bad in a naive manner as it may not feel like the Diwali which I saw as kid. I may continue lighting up the fireworks on Diwali day for years until it becomes illegal and fireworks are completely banned. I do not have anything to say that fireworks are ok because the pollution is there any way from other causes. That defence is flawed as one can still do his/her part of not contributing to the air pollution. I am just answering a question with honesty if I will burst crackers. The answer is, Yes!. I hence will end my post with no excuse. Guilty as can be!

[mayankk]

I've gotten bored now, with firecrackers. Literally burning money now, what with the costs. Thanks. I do more than enough money burning driving me cars.
With the way things are, I'm burning more and more money every passing day.

[srishiva]

So, will people burn all the firecrackers they can in the 2 hour window ? Will it really reduce pollution ? Are these time restrictions only on those days ?
I have not seen anyone bursting crackers on Chirstmas, maybe on new year's day. Guess judgment wanted to be create equality ! Secular country I guess.

[alpha1]

Originally Posted by V.Narayan

Will I burn fireworks this Diwali - a big yes I will. Fire works, Deepavali lights on the house/balcony, sweets, oil lamps - the whole lot. Pollution in Delhi-NCR - well uncovered construction sites; roads dug up and never paved back leaving the dust to fly unhindered; open areas not grassed over; two-wheelers; trucks - they are the big trouble makers in Delhi not to talk of crop burning. By going after Deepavali the Honourable Supreme Court is going after 1/365th of the problem.

Exactly the reason why I never shy away from giving a bribe and getting my job done. Why should a peanut amount of Rs 100 to Rs 1000 affect anything when there are bigger fish in the system with bigger stakes involved.

On the other hand, I don't like the noise associated with fireworks - really love the visuals minus the audio racket they produce especially while I am catching my forty winks. Smoke? Hah, I don't see any smoke at night! Does anyone have night vision in their eyes?