11/01/2022
India is known as the land of festivals.Festivals not only celebrate changingseasons but also harvest, reconciliationand the birth anniversaries of saints,gurus, prophets, and to honour gods and goddesses. The Indian culture is known to bediverse, and people have various practicessuch as fasting, abstinence, etc., where itcomes to their faith. While we look forwardto celebrating festivals with great pomp andshow, spare a moment to go through thisarticle before going out to buy firecrackers this Diwali.
Noise Pollution
The biggest culprits of noise pollution inour country are blaring loudspeakers,firecrackers, and loud musical instruments.With the emergence of urbanisation,people in metro cities have to grapple with
the problem of noise pollution in theirdaily lives. Any kind of public celebration,especially during festivals, only aggravatesthis lurking issue. A study conducted byWorld Health Organisation (WHO) confirmsthat noise pollution is not only a nuisanceto the environment, but it also causesa considerable threat to public health.During festivals like Janmashtami, GaneshChaturthi, Durga Puja, Navratri, Dussehra, and Diwali time and again, citizens haveviolated the permissible noise limit whichis currently set by the supreme court to 55decibels in the day and 45 decibels at night. Although local authorities might try theirbest to maintain decorum during festivals,we as responsible citizens should also becareful when contributing to noise pollution.Despite being worldly-wise, we do not takethe health impacts of incessant exposureto such high-decibel sounds seriously. The side effects of noise pollution affect toddlersand children and bring health issues in adults like hypertension, sleep disturbance, tinnitus, and acute hearing loss. Moreover, excessive noise can be alarming and fatal insome cases to animals.
Water Pollution
Every year during the Ganesh festivitiesfollowed by Durga Puja, immersion areasare littered with many flowers and partsof idols. There is a huge mess created bythe bursting of crackers too. These idolsare made of materials like plaster of Paris, and the paint used on these idols has a high level of mercury and lead. This hugelyincreases the toxin levels in the water bodiesafter immersion days. Eventually, thesetoxins enter the food chain and affect themarine ecosystem and biodiversity. Many water bodies are saturated with paint, toxicsynthetic materials, and plastic waste thatis carelessly thrown in.
Air pollution
Every year during festivals like Diwalior even during private celebrations andceremonies, firecrackers are burned, leadingto the release of toxic gases and severe airpollution. There is a yearly increase in thelevel of Respirable Suspended ParticulateMaterial (RSPM) in the air due to the burstingof firecrackers. RSPM are minute particlesthat are proven to contribute to various health issues such as asthma and bronchitis.
Dry Waste
During and after festivals, a huge amountof dry waste is generated. During festivalslike Diwali, the dry waste increases due tofirecrackers since there is a lack of spacefor it to be discarded and other neglectedconstraints. Another concerning factor is theamount of waste, including fruits, flowers,
incense, and camphor discarded from poojapandals. Apart from individuals who needto be more mindful of the environment,local government bodies need to take ameticulous approach towards solid wastedisposal.
Persistent social activism is required toeducate people to switch to eco-friendlymethods of celebration. Across the country, craftsmen are making an effort to use ecofriendlymethods to make idols. For example,the idol makers in Kumartuli, in Kolkata, tooksteps this year to curb toxic waste levels byusing paints devoid of lead, mercury, andchromium to embellish the idols. As a result, many people across the country are moreaware and are switching to eco-friendly idols and décor for their celebrations. However,more such initiatives need to be taken allacross the country.
Conclusion
Festivals are among the most importantparts of our life. It is believed thatpeople forget their past differences, andfestivals mark a new beginning for them.Metaphorically speaking, festivals are a
source of love, joy, peace, and happiness inour lives. However, we must at the same timekeep in mind our responsibility towards theenvironment when enjoying these festivals.There currently is a growing consciousnessaround our impact on the environment;hopefully, this will lead to industries aswell as individuals taking positive steps inreducing their carbon footprint.
