Where to get the best Fireworks

livinhimalayas

One of the reasons I shifted to the HImalayas was that people here do not have large disposible incomes to burn off in crackers otherwise I would be long dead by now! While most Indian children are learning to say no to crackers (prompted by drives at school) I am surprised that the adults want to continue with the pollution. The asthma patients suffer the most, on more than one occasion I have had to go to ICU because of the smoke from crackers during Diwali season, I know how difficult it is for people like me. Thank God that here the story is pretty different.

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suricate

Really? Where have you experienced that? I haven't seen much
awareness amongst the Indian populace at all! Come Diwali time,
the whole population goes mad about firecrackers. In some limited
instances where some polution control boards prompted the state
governments to put a curb on noisy crackers (e.g. in Bengal), much
of the population didn't seem to care, patronizing smuggled goods
markets. One erstwhile Kolkata mayor even came out openly against
any curbs! Some other state governments (e.g. Tamil Nadu), pushed
by the local manufacturers' lobbies, even tried to have the curbs
overturned in other states!

Nick-H

Crackers, as such, were reduced here in Chennai a couple of years back, and last year there was a feeling that people were not in the economic mood to burn too much money anyway.

This year... we'll see.

There was an announcement a few weeks ago that illegal cracker factories were to be closed down, with the proviso that they would not implement this until after Divalli. That doesn't bode well. Since then, I think only one of them has blown up.

delhiwala

There is definitely a drive in Delhi schools to dissuade children from burning fire crackers.... and it has had it's effect too....

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livinhimalayas

I don't know whether you have kids at home or not, but I have a son who is now 17 years old, his school (Then DPS, was actively involved in this drive and I know for a fact that all my son's friends have not used fire crackers for the last a least 7 years. My son ofcourse gave up the fire cracker when he saw how much distress it caused me. He would rather have an extra box or sweets than the fire crackers - I think he enjoys the sweets more as he has a sweet tooth .
I have worked with several schools for over two decades now and have seen the effect the drive has had on children, a lot of them now keep away from the fire works and advice the adults to keep away from them too.

suricate

This is about which part of the country? Did all schools in that area
participate in the drive? Is it an ongoing movement?

Based on how the Tamil Nadu govt. had reacted to the firecracker
noise control measures, I'd be surprised if this kind of movement
is allowed to spread by the vested interests (e.g. the fireworks
producers lobby, mentioning the impact on livelihoods of the
workers).

I know first hand that, for example, in Bangalore (among others),
typical kids are mad about firecrackers, and are indulged, or
even goaded on by their parents.

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Sorry, Delhiwala, for some reason your post didn't appear at my site before
I'd already posted! So, Delhi is one place really looking after its citizens' wellbeing!

Nick-H

If it is working somewhere, let's be glad about that.

suricate

Of course I'm glad that it is working somewhere. I'd be
gladder still, if it worked all over India, and hopefully, someday,
India turned into a "nanny state" like Australia. Unfortunately,
I don't see that happening any time soon!

Nick-H

Me neither.

Whilst Indian traffic continues the way it is, we really can't expect much from government or law enforcement in other areas either.

livinhimalayas

I know for sure the drive was across Delhi, UP, Haryana and parts of MP (infact it is still very much on). Most of the schools involved were Public Schools, a majority of them were the elitist school where rich kids study. It is in these homes that the fire crackers are used most and it was in these homes that the children refused to buy fire crackers. Made a huge difference. My nieces and nephews also do not use fire crackers anymore all again thanks to the same initiative. I hope the schools in Tamil Nadu also do the same thing.

suricate

It is nice to know that schools in at least some states have
started acting more responsibly. However, the effect seems to be
limited to larger cities/towns only, where the enlightened rich-kid
population is likely to be much higher. It's a pity that news of such
drives don't merit mention in the national media so the movement
spreads nationwide. Are the state governments helping also?

I know that a few years back the West Bengal government had
started a drive to limit noise levels of crackers. However, the
effect was limited to Kolkata only. In other areas nothing
changed. And as I'd mentioned earlier, there is a huge smuggled
noisy-crackers market patronized by the common populace.
As far as I know, there is no statewide drive to educate people
so the drive is more effective.

Most importantly, while it is likely to be true that per-capita use of
firecrackers is higher in more affluent homes, the total amount
consumed in such homes stands no comparison to the sheer volume
of firecrackers used by the rest of the population, just because
of the numbers. For example, at least in Bangalore, money is pooled by
common people to buy and use huge amounts of firecrackers. So
the solution lies in educating the common populace (of course,
along with proper implementation of effective laws), not in
enlightening just the rich kids, a miniscule percentage of the population.

sdsudarsan

We end up polluting everyday by using disposable plates, glasses, etc which is far far far far ...... more disturbing than one day in a year crackers. We are addressing a wrong issue here.
What more? While suggesting this for Diwali, it is encouraged in all occassions like New Year Eve, Marriage, etc. How comical !?!

edwardseco

That is why people buy guns, against authoritarian rule..

Nick-H

So, not much hope for greater environmental and society awareness on this, among many other subjects, then?

I'm fast learning that India is a place where it is easier just to give up. It doesn't matter what is good or bad, tradition, and money, justifies all.

sdsudarsan

Hi Nick-H,

I agree that even small things matter. But, if you ask yourself, what to prioritize when resources are limited, the answer will come up by itself!

Just by propagating good values, like reusing plates (stainless steel/ceramic/...) or biodegradable plates (plantain leaves) and rejecting modern plastic/glass use-n-throw things, you not only save tons of money but also reduce industrial pollution (plastic production industries generate lot of toxic wastes).

The issue is with priorities with available resources...

My post is not about giving up, but making informed choices