POLLUTION, DISEASES and DIWALI
Diwali, firecrackers and the law
October 2022: It is interesting to note the twists on banning firecrackers. In 2015, a judgment of the Supreme Court, observed that a blanket ban can’t be imposed on firecrackers as it may take away the right to enjoy religious festivities and as a person can’t be prevented from bursting crackers at home. In 2021, the Supreme Court had banned some crackers found to be injurious to health while making it clear that there was no blanket ban on firecrackers. In 2022, the Supreme Court refused (October 20) urgent hearing of a plea seeking to lift the blanket ban imposed (September 14) by the Delhi Pollution Control Committee on firecrackers. A bench of judges said "Let people breathe clean air. Spend your money on sweets."
"Perhaps, the 'few days of increased pollution' may not be significant when compared to the 'enormous daily pollution of 365 days' -- catching a mosquito and missing an elephant ! More over, in this day and age, youngsters are more interested in digital screens than the firecrackers." -- T. Rama Prasad
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
"Pollution leaves cricket gasping for oxygen" is the front-page-top-space-bold-headline in The New INDIAN EXPRESS newspaper of December 4, 2017 with the photograph below:
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That is the height of the problem. "Air pollution in Delhi left at least five Sri Lankan players complaining of breathing trouble. Oxygen cylinders had to be brought to the dressing room as a precautionary measure. Play was halted for over 15 minutes, which makes it perhaps the first instance of pollution stopping cricket ... When India hosted the U-17 World Cup in October, tournament director Javier Ceppi had tweeted, "You can't host sport events in Delhi from Diwali till end of Feb # DelhiSmog."  |
The following is reprinted from the FACEBOOK ... November 7, 2016
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
"... The 'Facebook' brought to my memory what I wrote one year ago (2015). People who didn't take my writing seriously then may now (today, Nov 7, 2016) have a look at the grim scenario in the region of Delhi, the national capital which is reeling with a record level of air pollution in 17 years. Delhi is like a gas chamber after Diwali with schools staying shut and people staying indoors due to smog and bad air. There is a 62.7% spike in PM2.5 after Diwali due to crackers and crop-waste burning in neighbouring States. All construction and demolishing work in the city has been banned for 5 days. The coal-based Badarpur power plant will be shut down for the next 10 days.
People are suffering from breathing and eye problems due to the heavy smog. Emergency measures like inducing 'artificial rain' through 'cloud seeding' is under consideration. Nearly 17,000 schools were shut down from last Saturday due to pollution. Delhiites are breathing dirty air, equivalent to smoking two full packets of cigarettes a day. The pollution is 13 times higher than the permissible levels, exposing them to serious diseases -- asthma to cancer; COPD to heart diseases. Air pollutants stunt lung growth in children, thereby reducing their life expectancy. More than 6 lakh children die every year due to air pollution globally, a big chunk of which is from India.
-- Dr. T. Rama Prasad, Perundurai "
NEWS on APRIL 3, 2019
The research study, "State of Global Air 2019", published on April 3, 2019 by 'Health Effects Institute (HEI)' revealed that exposure to outdoor and indoor air pollution killed 1.2 million persons in India in 2017. It also said that the lifespan of a South Asian person would be reduced by two-and-a half years due to high level of air pollution which may cause various diseases -- cold to cancer, allergy to asthma, bronchitis to birth-defects, COPD to CAD. China and India together were responsible for over half of the deaths worldwide due to the air pollution which is the third highest cause of deaths among all health risks in India.
EXCELLENT INITIATIVES
During the period of 2014 - 19, the government has put in place excellent initiatives like 'Swachh Bharat Mission', 'Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana Household LPG Programme', Accelerated Bharat Stage VI Clean Vehicle Standards', 'National Clean Air Programme', etc. The success of these initiatives depends on the sustained efforts of the organisers and the cooperation and commitment of the public. It remains to be seen the impact of the programmes on a long term basis.
A student (4-B, TIPS, Erode - 2015) brought a note from the school for a debate on “Who plays a major role in the contribution to the environmental pollution – MANUFACTURERS or CONSUMERS ? Who is responsible ?”, seeking parents participation. That evoked a divided opinion among the family members. The truth may be that both are responsible. But in a debate one has to take sides. The following is the fodder for those who want to blame the customers.
Of late, the consumer has been under the spell of the animalistic doctrine of “Work – Consume – Die” culture dressed in subtle and gross deceptions. And materialistic comparison. He tries to keep up with the Joneses as a status symbol and even wants to outclass his neighbour and competitors. Knowing all the ill-effects, he indulges in ultra-consumerist habits contributing to environmental pollution. If he doesn’t smoke, who will manufacture the killer cigarettes ? If he walks, cycles and uses public conveyance, who would manufacture the so many dangerous disease-producing vehicles ? If he doesn’t fancy firework displays, who would manufacture the lung-crippling chemical evils ? If he doesn’t use polythene bags, who would stock the non-biodegradable choking devils ? If he doesn’t crave for packaged food and junk food, who would make the polluting containers and the life-shortening preservatives and chemicals used in them ? If he doesn’t use pesticides and artificial fertilizers, who goes around promoting the soil-destroying and water-poisoning chemicals ? If needless fancy items and cosmetics of dubious value are shunned, which manufacturer would venture into the field, causing incalculable health hazards ? If he doesn't buy unnecessarily a huge junk of sub-standard play materials and colouring agents, which businessman takes the trade risks and endangers the environment ? If soft drinks are not a fashion, which investor would be interested to establish factories to spoil the health of the people ? The list is endless and can run into hundreds of pages.
After all, the manufacturers do what the consumers want, though they may flout the regulations and cause inestimable damage to the eco-systems by their establishments as well as by the consumers’ indulgence.
If the consumer is sensitive and sensible to his health and that of the planet, the myriads of needless manufacturing companies would shut their doors, and the remaining limited number of essential manufacturing units can be well-controlled to make them follow “good non-polluting manufacturing practices” by the regulating authorities because of the manageable size of the manufacturing sector.
Indian consumer is notorious for polluting the environment in varied ways like using firewood, burning agricultural waste, dumping garbage on the roads, indulging in open defecation and urination, making surroundings filthy, improper disposal of waste, etc. People convert agricultural land into concrete jungles; forests are replaced by tea estates -- thus escalating pollution. The world is run on money. Never in the history of the planet the words ‘environmental pollution’ are so extensively repeated in print and talk as of now. A recent (2016) UNICEF report says that air pollution is killing six lakh kids every year and that two billion children live in places where the outdoor air pollution exceeds the safe limits prescribed by the World Health Organization. The report also said that apart from harming children’s developing lungs, the pollutants cross the blood-brain barrier and permanently damage their developing brains. The pollutants are 14 times higher than safe limits in Delhi after the Diwali festival on October 29, 2016. The World Health Organization (WHO) has recently (2013) added the polluted air which we breathe to the list of cancer producing agents ! Should we quit the planet ?
Pollution in India is ubiquitous, even around my house and even inside, disgustingly. The face of the devil of pollution lits up with impish glee when our eco-friendly environment is replaced by concrete jungles contributing to environmental degradation.
Children, these days, have excellent knowledge about matters like pollution, lifestyle, food, exercise, electronic screens, etc. They write impressive essays and lecture eloquently on the good and bad of these subjects, mostly for academic purpose. Many of them get glued to electronic screens, munching junk food as soon as they come home from school. Most of them don’t apply the knowledge to their lives. Parents and grandparents are no exceptions. Even in developed countries of high literacy, one can see increasing number of people (including women) smoking, drinking, binge eating and living a bad lifestyle. There seems to be a yawning gap between what is preached and what is practised.
More than 300 million people in India have no access to electricity, and as a result kerosene lamps and candles are used widely adding to the air pollution. Perhaps even more serious is the dependence of more than 700 million people on biomass (firewood, charcoal, etc.) for cooking purpose resulting in large quantities of smoke. Over 7 million deaths occurred worldwide in 2012 due to air pollution (WHO).
“Most people are familiar with type-1 diabetes and type-2 diabetes, but do you know that researchers have discovered a third type of diabetes? ‘Type-3 diabetes’, as they are calling it, affects people who are extra sensitive to electrical devices that emit "dirty" electricity.
ELECTRICAL POLLUTION
ELECTRICAL POLLUTION
Type-3 diabetics actually experience spikes in blood sugar and an increased heart rate when exposed to electrical pollution ("electropollution") from things like computers, televisions, cordless and mobile phones, and even compact fluorescent light bulbs. Dr. Magda Havas, a PhD from Trent University in Canada, recently published the results of a study she conducted on the relationship between electromagnetic fields and diabetes in Electromagnetic Biology and Medicine”
( http://www.naturalnews.com/028967_electropollution_diabetes… ).
( http://www.naturalnews.com/028967_electropollution_diabetes… ).
POLLUTION and TUBERCULOSIS
The problem of TB is increasing among urbanites due to various factors like over-crowding, ill-ventilation, over-pollution, urban stress, hurried meals, fast life, fast foods, junk foods, etc. A team of researchers of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey found recently (2012) that exposure to diesel exhaust particles from automobiles suppresses the function of phagocytic immune cells and thus makes people more prone to get TB.
I may write hundreds of pages on this subject, but you are already sleepy. Stifling many a yawn you had patiently read this crashing bore. Thanks. Goodnight.
Dr. T. Rama Prasad,
'PAY WHAT YOU CAN' Clinic, Perundurai, Erode Dt., TN, India., Former Medical Superintendent (Special), RTS & IRT Perundurai Medical College and Research Centre.
DEEPAAVALI ... 2017 October 18
"LESS FIREWORK DISPLAY,
LESS HOSPITAL STAY."
-- T. Rama Prasad
'Deepavali' means 'a row of lamps'. Rows of flickering lamps are a feast to the eye. Enjoy these more than the deafening crackers. Of course, it can be no 'Diwali' without light-emitting firework displays. Let it be a balanced one. Limit them to one day only. And, minimise, minimise and minimise the use of them. And absolutely avoid sound-emitting fireworks / firecrackers. Should we ban some items of fireworks ? The situation is as it is in the first paragraph of this 'scribbling'.
The word "Diwali" is derived from the word "Deepavali" ('Deep' means light & 'avail' means a line of things). It is believed by some that the light and sound of fireworks invite goddess Lakshmi into homes when 'Lakshmi Pooja' is performed on the day of Diwali during 'Swaati Nakshatra' ruled by Lord Varun or Vayu.
FIREWORKS
October 17, 2014
DANGEROUS DEEPAVALI
Many people lose their lives and limbs due to fireworks accidents. More people suffer from allergy and asthma due to the noxious smoke and chemicals which linger in the atmosphere for a long time after the festival from Kanyakumari to Kashmir. The deafening sound of the crackers leave the hearing impaired and drive the pets, birds and animals to suffering or even death.
Do you consider yourself environmentally conscious and responsible? You might not know that all those colourful explosives used to celebrate Deepavali (your firecrackers, skyrockets, flowerpots and, yes, even those so-called "harmless" sparklers) pose a serious environmental and health danger from heavy metals and other toxic firework fallout. So, when you are about to set off or buy some fireworks or even attend an outdoor fireworks display, ask yourself the question: "Is a few minutes of pyrotechnic entertainment really worth needlessly polluting the environment ?"
And, how dangerous ? It is not much when compared to the pollution caused everyday by various activities. After all, Deepaavali causes pollution for only a few days in a year.
Wish you all a VERY MERRY DEEPAVALI, with minimal pollution..
Dr. T. Rama Prasad, 'Pay what you can' Clinic, Perundurai, India
DEEPAVALI and the LAW
October 2022: It is interesting to note the twists on banning firecrackers. In 2015, a judgment of the Supreme Court, observed that a blanket ban can’t be imposed on firecrackers as it may take away the right to enjoy religious festivities and as a person can’t be prevented from bursting crackers at home. In 2021, the Supreme Court had banned some crackers found to be injurious to health while making it clear that there was no blanket ban on firecrackers. In 2022, the Supreme Court refused (October 20) urgent hearing of a plea seeking to lift the blanket ban imposed (September 14) by the Delhi Pollution Control Committee on firecrackers. A bench of judges said "Let people breathe clean air. Spend your money on sweets." It seems to be a different matter that there are neither any religious scriptures nor books that mandate celebrations with crackers, and that the use of firecrackers does violate fundamental rights for public health which should be applied also to rights recognised by the Constitution under Article 25. The right to life and liberty by the Constitution through Article 21 indirectly gives the right to noise-free nights and pollution-free air.
‘Maggi’ was ‘banned and unbanned’ ; the diabetic drug ‘pioglitazone’ was ‘banned and unbanned’ – for incomprehensible reasons. Both may have lesser health hazards than firework displays. Tobacco, which is more dangerous than firecrackers, is not banned in all forms.
Human rights, religion, rituals, sentiments, economics, business, common man’s perception, Constitution, convention, livelihood, law and practice stand in the way of scientific interventions. Even the apex court is helpless.
Innumerable individuals of all ages suffer from various respiratory diseases, including asthma during this 'firecrackers' season.
"LESS FIREWORK DISPLAY,
LESS HOSPITAL STAY."
T. Rama Prasad, PerunduraiOctober 18, 2017
MERRY DEEPAAVALI
'FESTIVAL of FIREWORKS' is to be transformed back into the 'FESTIVAL of LIGHTS' of olden days. The concern is expressed by the Supreme Court by its recent (October 2017) action of prohibiting sale of fireworks in New Delhi during the Diwali season. No rituals and traditional customs can be stopped suddenly by orders. People should judge the good and bad of a custom and act wisely to their benefit. It is difficult to deny the thrill of the fireworks to the youngsters overnight -- let us restrict it to safe limits... not only personal safety but also environmental safety. --
Dr. T. Rama Prasad.
"What is Deepavali ? 'Deepavali' means 'a row of lamps'. Rows of flickering lamps are a feast to the eye. Enjoy these more than the deafening crackers. Of course, it can be no 'Diwali' without light-emitting firework displays. Let it be a balanced one. Limit them to one day only. And, minimise, minimise and minimise the use of them. And absolutely avoid sound-emitting fireworks / firecrackers. I wish you all, my dear friends, a very HAPPY DIWALI, a spectacular festival of lights and lamps."
-- Dr. T. Rama Prasad
A message in my clinic, creating awareness of Deepavali POLLUTION.
To see more photos, go to the 'Scribbling' titled 'DEEPAAVALI' on this blog.
Dr. T. Rama Prasad,
'PAY WHAT YOU CAN’ Clinic, Perundurai, Erode Dt., TN, India.
Former Medical Superintendent (Special), RTS & IRT Perundurai Medical College and Research Centre, Perundurai.
* Website: www.rama-scribbles.in * Blog: https://drtramaprasad.blogspot.com * Twitter: @DrRamaprasadt
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Another fantastic deepawali with our family members, really we are all happy with your heartful wishes.
ReplyDeleteSharing our happiness will be a great pleasure to us.
A day of leaving pressure and gaining pleasure.
Thank you doctor...