Religion, crackers, pollution and politics

Every year in winters Delhi and its surrounding areas gets engulfed in a smoke blanket. Disappointing is the fact that this blanket does not keep the poor from dying on roads but adds to the list of those prone to cancer and asthma.


It is largely believed that crackers constitute a big chunk of the PM 2.5 suspended in the environment, the facts tell a different story. The sale of crackers in the last three years has gone down by almost 50 per cent. 


To the disappointment of religious fanatics, this by no means indicates that crackers do us any good. But this is a message for the intellectuals that everyone is focusing on trivial issues and ignoring the elephant in the room.


Courtesy: Bar and Bench


The fact that pollution levels are rising every year despite a decrease in sales of crackers forces us to introspect. Also, it underlines that a fine or imprisonment for stubble burning and last moment interventions by the honourable Supreme Court are not helping the cause. 


Imposing a ban on crackers without proper planning is nothing but snatching away the livelihood of people dependent on the industry for their livelihood. Also, by repeatedly intervening in the pollution issue, the SC is keeping it from being a political issue while there is a need that people start considering this factor while choosing their candidate.


The issue of pollution in Delhi is a grave issue that requires deliberation and year-long implementation of a well-structured plan as the situation is worsening every year. A ban on crackers or making it a religious issue is nothing but irrelevant as no matter what, the citizens of Delhi and surrounding areas are forced to live in this, rhetorically, radiation cloud responsible for all kinds of health issues.


Comments

  1. The right way to adress the issue... well done

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  2. The issue surely is grave and requires special attention. Banning crackers is not entirely wrong, I would say but yes, it does affect livelihood. If everything is done in a planned manner, the issue can be resolved. The authorities are trying, let's see what is to come in the following years

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