The festival of light, Diwali is celebrated with great vigour all across the nation and bursting firecrackers has become the norm. However, in their zeal to celebrate the festival, people forget the health hazards they are exposing themselves and others to. “Come Diwali, we hear loud noises of firecrackers exploding all around and with them, the toxic smoke that causes both air and noise pollution. People tend to forget that the pollution caused during this time does not only last for that particular day but lingers on for a longer duration. Small children and the elderly face the brunt,” says Dr B. Bhaskar Rao, CEO and MD of KIMS Group of Hospitals. According to Dr Hari Krishan, Consultant General Physician, Apollo Hospitals, Hyderguda, during Diwali, the cases of respiratory infections also increase. “The smoke which comes from the firecrackers contains many chemicals which are injurious to health. Nowadays, we get huge firecrackers emitting large amounts of toxic smoke. The bigger the firecrackers get, the bigger the problem they raise for everyone. Not that the sparklers don’t cause harm, but they emit less smoke when compared to flower pots or the colourful rockets,” he explains.
He adds, “One may feel a sudden problem in breathing. Not all people may be aware of their underlying breathing problem unless it aggravates. During this time, problems such as bronchitis come to the surface, so for patients with asthma or lung infections, it is advisable to stay indoors. Sudden exposure to loud noise can cause temporary or permanent deafness too.”
Elaborating on the poisonous fumes and the surge of patients they see at the outpatient department, Dr Anish Anand, General Physician, Apollo Hospitals, Jubilee Hills says, “Our outpatient during these days sees a lot of people coming in with burn injuries from flower pots or other crackers which might have exploded unexpectedly. Even lung infections from sulphur, which is present in the crackers, are a common complaint.”
