Diwali has been traditionally celebrated with the lighting of diyas, bursting of firecrackers and exchanging of sweets between loved ones. However, environmental concerns have led to a ban on their sale in many parts of the
country. Swati Sharma speaks to eminent city dwellers for their views on how best to celebrate the festival of lights
Let’s get creative: Diwali is a day of celebration, family and victory. The very concept of Diwali is light over darkness and there are so many creative ways to display it. Let’s find ways that make our community stronger, don’t pollute the skies and our lungs and cause trauma to all other living creatures.
– Sandhya Raju, dancer-actor
Janardhan Reddy
Go pollution-free
Diwali is a festival that is also associated with cleanliness. So, why pollute the roads and society with firecrackers? It’s a festival for others but additional work for GHMC. So I request everyone to keep Hyderabad pollution and also garbage-free.
–Dr B. Janardhan Reddy (GHMC Commissioner)
Sandeep Sultania
Moderation is key
We should do things in moderation. A 100 per cent cracker-free Diwali may not be practical immediately. However, a sustained campaign would definitely help everyone. Increasingly, firecrackers are taking on intolerable proportions and hampering our environment.
–Finance Secretary, Telangana
No for a complete ban
It’s good for the environment, but I am confused. Diwali means diyas and crackers, but I am not in for completely banning firecrackers because it’s our tradition. Instead of every house bursting crackers, we can do it together in a community. That way, we can keep our tradition alive and pollute less.
– Kamini Saraf (Entrepreneur)
Rajiv Reddy
Our goal is zero pollution
Diwali is one of our favourite festivals and we have decided to concentrate more on family celebrations — music and folk dance. Let this Diwali be an eye-opener to society and the world at large. Zero pollution should be the goal of this great festival.
— Rajeev Reddy, CMD, Country Club
Anil Kamineni
Save the environment
The spirit of Diwali is festivities with family and friends. However, we cannot celebrate at the cost of our environment. As kids, we celebrated Diwali with crackers, but now, knowing their effect on the environment, we should avoid them.
— Anil Kamineni, Businessman
N.V.S.S. Prabhakar, BJP MLA
Firecrackers help the environment
Diwali is a festival of light and crackers, and comes after the monsoon, when large numbers of insects breed. The poison let out in the air due to bursting of crackers spells death for them, so in a way, crackers help the environment. Fireworks lead to emissions of gases containing various chemicals, which kill the most resistant bacteria. But we must determine the optimum level of fireworks so that it’s not harmful. We also have a tradition of lighting diyas of oil during Diwali, as oil has bactericidal qualities.
— N.V.S.S. Prabhakar, BJP MLA
