SC allows green crackers, city dealers flout the rules

Hameed Ashraf | NT
Bengaluru, Nov. 1

On Monday, the Supreme Court announced that it will not impose a total ban on crackers this year. ‘Green crackers’, or those that don’t contain barium salts, have been permitted, the apex court said, over the course of two judgments. The idea, which first came about two years ago, is to reduce air pollution and minimize risks among the people. However, city doctors say that cracker-related injuries persist and have begun days before the Deepavali. Around 40 percent of those injured are children and innocent bystanders.

In keeping with the SC  order, the state government has allowed only green crackers. Dealers who with necessary permissions are allowed to sell them from 1 November to 10 November at designated places this year.

The Bommai government also warned that the shops should be set up in non-residential areas and at open places with permission from concerned authorities and according to the guidelines.
Meanwhile, concerned with the rising air pollution levels, a city-based community forum started an online petition to appeal to the city police department and the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) to ensure that the Supreme Court order is followed and only the ‘green crackers’ are sold in the markets.

“Every year since the ‘green crackers’ made their debut into the market, there have been government restrictions on the sale of firecrackers. However, only a few people follow the rules,” an activist told News trail. “We saw how nature returned to its lost glory during the lockdowns. It changed quickly after the restrictions were lifted,” the activist added.

City doctors have warned those who have recovered from Covid-19 to avoid bursting firecrackers and said they must stay away from the smoke emanating from them. This is also applicable to children and adults who have had upper respiratory infections and bronchitis in recent months, the doctors said.
“Pollutants destroy the atmosphere and affect the respiratory system and aggravate lung-related diseases,” Dr TV Ramachandra, faculty, Energy and Wetlands Research Group, Centre for Ecological Sciences, IISc, said.

Speaking about the growing number of eye injury cases during the festival, Dr. Sujatha Rathod, Director, Minto Hospital, said “Even if they are known as green firecrackers, there will be some amount of chemicals in them,” she said.

In a move to ensure that its order regarding barium salts and other harmful chemicals is followed, the Chief Secretary, secretaries of the Home Ministry and the city police commissioners, as well as the police officer in charge of the police station concerned will be held personally liable, the Supreme Court said.  

According to the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) “Green crackers reduce particulate matter Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) and Sulfur Dioxide (SO2) by 30 to 35 percent. Green crackers reduces health hazards by virtue of reduction in particulate matter and other gaseous emissions.”

According to Minto Ophthalmology Hospital, 646 people were treated for eye injuries between 2008 and 2020 out of which 319 were children below the age of 16. 83% were male and 17% were female. In 2020, there were 31 cases out of which three patients lost their vision completely in one eye.