MAR

20

bad effect of festival on environment

DIWALI

Unfortunately, every year, the quantum of air and noise pollution caused due to the bursting of
firecrackers increases on Diwali.

Firecrackers release pollutants such as sulphur dioxide, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide etc in the
air, which causes ailments like asthma and bronchitis. Not only the elderly and patients in hospitals,
but animals and birds are also affected due to air and noise pollution.

Though various schools and organisations organised demonstrations prior to Diwali to educate the
masses on a pollution-free festival, their efforts have been futile.

The environment and pollution departments also got notices published in various newspapers about
regulations to curb noise and air pollution, but to no avail.
As per directions of the Supreme Court, bursting of sound-emitting firecrackers has been banned
between 10pm to 6am. However, shockingly, the direction was openly flouted as firecrackers were
burst throughout the night.

This caused excessive noise and air pollution. On the receiving end of this menace were the elderly
and patients in hospitals.

Post Diwali, the roads are littered with the remnants of fireworks. The deluge of garbage, including
empty bottles used to light off rockets, on every nook and corner of the city is a worrying sign.
“It’s not a new thing. This happens every year,” said Naresh Johar, a city-based writer.

Pollutant levels
CPCB is, however, satisfied with the dipping levels of some air pollutants. Sulphur dioxide concentration on Sunday
night decreased at five locations from last year. However, the values increased at two locations - Pitampura in west
Delhi and Shahzada Bagh in north Delhi, where the levels of this pollutant increased from 13 μg/m3 last year to 40
μg/m3 this time.
Suphur dioxide levels have been found within the prescribed standard of 80 μg/m3 at all locations. Nitrogen dioxide
(NO2) concentration also remained on the lower side, ranging between 26 and 87 μg/m3 as compared to 44 and 85
μg/m3 in 2012.
The NO2 levels are within the prescribed standard of 80 g/m3 at six locations except Shahzada Bagh which is the
only location where it has gone up - from 64 μg/m3 to 87 μg/m3.
Sulphur dioxide concentration on the festive day decreased at five locations, while the values
increased at two locations in comparison to last year.

Sulphur dioxide concentration ranged between 5 and 56 A-g/m3 as compared to 3 and 63 A-g/m3
last year. SO2 levels have been found within the prescribed standard of 80 g/m3 at all the locations.

Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) concentration also remained on the lower side ranging between 26 and 87
A-g/m3 as compared to 44 and 85 A-g/m3 in 2012.

The NO2 levels are within the prescribed standard of 80 A-g/m3 at six locations except Shahzada
Bagh.
Particulate matter levels have shown an increasing trend at all the locations this year as compared
to last year.

Respirable suspended particulate matter (RSPM) values ranged between 796 and 1138 A-g/m3as
compared to 748 and 951 A-g/m to 3 A-g/m3 during Diwali last year.

Increased Particulate matter levels values in general may be attributed to adverse meteorological
conditions, like lower night time temperature, low mixing height and low wind speed.

GANESH FESTIVAL

Widespread campaigns are already on for an eco-friendly Ganesh Chaturthi festival but still a large
section of the society are unaware of the pollution and environmental damage caused by Plaster of
Paris idols and chemical paints. Some large Ganesha Pandal committees, to attract maximum crowd
conveniently forget the environmental impact caused by the idols. In 2009, date of Ganesh Chaturthi
festival is August 23.

The main pollution is caused by the Plaster of Paris Ganesh idols and the chemical paints used in
them.

* Plaster of Paris (POP) is not a naturally occurring material and contains gypsum, sulphur,
phosphorus and magnesium. The idols take several months to dissolve in water and in the process
poison the waters of lake, ponds, rives and seas.

* The chemical paints used to decorate the Ganesh idol contain mercury, lead, cadmium and carbon
and this increases the acidity and heavy metal content in the water.
* Several accessories used during the Ganesh Puja like Thermocole, plastic flowers, cloth, incense,
camphor and numerous other materials are dumped carelessly adding more strain to the already
polluted rivers and lakes.

* Careless dumping of Ganesh idols in waterbodies blocks the natural flow of water. This results in
stagnation and breeding of mosquitoes and other harmful pests.

* The polluted water causes several diseases including skin diseases.

* The pollution from Ganesh Chaturthi idols also damages the ecosystem, kills fishes and water
plants.
* In many areas, the same polluted water gets pumped into homes.

Alternatives

* Use eco-friendly clay idols painted with natural colors.

* Use permanent idols made of stone and perform a symbolic immersion and reuse the idol each
year.

* Avoid public waterbodies to immerse the idols, instead immerse idol in bucket or tub

HOLI FESTIVAL.
 Holi’ is a religious spring festival celebrated by Hindus. ‘Holi’ is also known as festival of
colors. It is primarily
observed in India and Nepal. The most celebrated ‘Holi’ is in the Braj region, in locations
connected to the Lord
Krishna: Mathura, Vrindavan, Nandagaon, and Barsana. Bonfires are lit on the eve of the
festival, also known as
‘Holika Dahan’ (burning of Holika) or ‘Chhoti Holi’ (little ‘Holi’) after which prayers are
offered. ‘Holi’ is
celebrated at the end of the winter season on the last full moon day of the lunar month Phalguna
(February/March).
In most areas, ‘Holi’ lasts about two days. Every year, thousands of Hindus participate in the
festival ‘Holi’.

Such a colourful Holi was soon overtaken by commercialisation,

which started providing exotic colours, but in a highly dangerous
form. Toxic chemicals are being used to get the desired colours. They
do not wash away easily, get mixed in drains and sewage systems
and pollute water bodies and the soil. The festival, which used to be a
healthy revelry of mankind is no longer an exuberant, healthy event.
Following are some of example of chemical colours, their composition & effect on health

and Environment.

CHEMICAL COLOR COMPOSITION

BLACK Lead Oxide 

GREEN Copper Sulphate 

PURPLE Chromium Iodide 

SILVER Aluminium Bromide 

RED Mercury Sulphite

Water is an addition gives revelers some relief from the oppressive
heat that hits much of India at this time. While celebrants are still
sure to get wet or drenched this year. The Indian government is
encouraging the public to forego or at least tone down the splashing.
The reason being that Drought is hitting some parts of india
particularly hard this year.

DURGA POOJA

Durga puja is the pride of the Bengalis in India. We celebrate this Durga Puja for 4 days, i.e. Saptami,

Astami, Nabami, and Dashami. In Astami, we pray Maa Durga going to a pandal in our

neighbourhood and we offer prayers to the Goddess Durga. In this puja, some clubs play music boxes
at high decibel thus causing sound pollution. Sound pollution is not only the last thing that happens

in Durga Puja. We have water pollution. We immerse the Durga idols in the waters of the river

Ganges. This water gets polluted with the paints in the body of Durga. The clay gets washed away in

water leaving the structure. But what happens to the poisonous lead and other harmful minerals in

the water? This harmful pollutants absorbed in our body someway or the other. You want to know

the harm it causes. Well I have seen..being a witness that some young people have gray hair!! You

will say, young with gray hair...I will say ....Yes! This young men have gray hair as the pollutants

enter the body and cause genetic modification. I am writing this confidence as I have read it in a

report in a science column in newspaper.

Sound pollution is causing harm to our ears and hearing system! The loud music played during the
emersion of Goddess Durga in procession with shouting and screaming hurts our ear, which can
tolerate sound only upto a certain decibel. The music is soothing upto a certain decibel. Beyond that
it becomes an irritant, a nuisance to the human being. He/She feels irritated and angry and swears
those who play the play music barbarically! Music at that point becomes an object of hatred!

After a days hard work, I came to my house the day after Dashami and laid in bed, just trying to
sleep....but I could not....I couldn't sleep as the noise and shouting of the revelers of Durga Puja going
to the riverside is disturbing my hearing tolerance, irritating me to the full extent that my face turned
red like an apple and I am shouting at them like a mad person!!
The reputed clubs in contrary never use the loudspeakers. Their puja is peaceful. Their puja shows
elegance. They get a lot of prizes. I appreciate a lot and not only me..many visitors wait in queues for
hours to visit the prize winning pujas. Prizes are given to the pujas so that the puja organizer
maintain some ethics and the sense of esthetics helps them stand out from the rest. A touch of
originality is always expected from the puja organizer and the prize goes to them only. I respect those
clubs who maintain an eco-friendly puja and help people appreciate the Goddess Durga in a
wonderful way!

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