This Diwali...

Every diwali, I can see awareness campaigns asking people to abstain from crackers. Yes, the smoke, the noise, the pollution...

This year too, I got a mail. " Diwali no more a festival to allay darkness. It has turned into a festival for thickening darkness. With one more bout of fire crackers, the killer pollution, engulfing life in its vice like grip, would only become more lethal."

It talked of the risk to children, the old and the vulnerable. No doubt, even the healthy get affected.

Any debates? None at all. I don't even believe that we should sustain that industry just for those employed in it. They suffer as much, and though it may help them make ends meet, they are probably better off finding alternative employment rather than continuing in that industry.

But something in me protests still. 

That same mail went on to say, "According to a Report by Save the Children, every 4th child in India lives in urban areas and they fall sick every month on average. They fall sick because of lower immunity. What affects their immunity? Essentially, ground water and air pollution damage immune system of children. Doctors associate high levels of suspended particulate matter and sulphur dioxide with increased mortality, morbidity and impaired pulmonary function."

Every month, the report says. But diwali is not celebrated every month. It is not even celebrated for one month. Just one day. So where does the pollution come from the rest of the year? 

"As per International Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences, our daily intakes of vegetables contain 21 times higher metal content. So apart from air and ground water pollution, our eating pattern also impact immunity. Having exposed to such conditions, a kid is prone to catch respiratory, liver and kidney problems.”

Daily intake - not just around the time of diwali but every day...

I will not labour the point. Is this post in favour of crackers? No? Is this against? No, again. 

Instead, I am just confused. I have a host of questions.

We have despoiled earth in the name of development.

We have polluted air in the name of progress.

We have even pierced the sky in the name of travel.

We have dried up water sources to satiate our thirst for wealth.

We are burning cities in the name of hate and fanaticism.

The food we eat, the air we breathe, the water we drink, the space we aspire to conquer - they all bear the brunt of our indiscriminate exploitation and insatiable greed.

Fight against crackers by all means. But if the rest of the year, we are going to continue to destroy this world, then this is mere tokenism. Meaningless and empty.