By IANS
New Delhi : Wary of adding to the smog and haze this smoky Diwali? Well, the one way to light up Diwali night without adding to pollution levels is using earthen diyas with wax and a sky lantern, says a senior scientist at the Central Pollution Control Board.
“Every bit of fireworks, including the little sparkler, adds to air pollution. They are bound to, as they contain compounds of phosphorus, sulphur and potassium, and all these are pollutants,” said the scientist, who did not want to be identified.
“So Diwali fireworks and ecological concern are a contradiction in terms,” the scientist said here Thursday. “If you really want a green Diwali, the only way to light up your home would be to use earthen lamps with cloth wicks.”
“It’s better to have wax rather than oil in the lamps,” the expert added. “You never know to what extent the oil is adulterated and what pollutants it may contain. With wax, you can dispose it of safely the next day.”
The other environment-friendly way to celebrate Diwali is the sky lantern. This is a large paper box with a hole below and an earthen lamp lit under it. The lamp heats up the air inside the box, which then rises in the air, just like a hot air balloon.
The paper will fall to the ground eventually, but that is biodegradable. So is the frame of the sky lantern, as long as it is made out of bamboo slivers, like a kite.
According to Sunita Narain, director of the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), the respirable suspended particulate matter (RSPM) – dust and smoke particles small enough to get inside the lungs – in the capital’s air is very high and it’s better to refrain from bursting crackers during Diwali.
“The RSPM level in Delhi air is 350 microgram per cubic metre and this could increase 100 percent during Diwali if we don’t stay away from crackers. They are very bad for people’s health in general and environment in particular,” Narain told IANS.
“Crackers, especially imported ones, emit a huge amount of sulphur dioxide and it’s a real threat to people suffering from asthma. The current smog witnessed in the capital skies reveals the amount of air pollution,” she added.
However, Narain had a suggestion for Delhiites. “If you want to celebrate Diwali with crackers then take off all cars from city roads for a month.”
Diwali today is about much more than fireworks. But when it comes to gifts and wrappers and rangoli, it is much easier to go green, the scientist pointed out. “Gifts can be chosen with care, wrappers can be made of recycled paper and natural and herbal colours used for rangoli.”
Rohan Gupta, a resident of east Delhi, said: “I fear crackers and moreover as responsible citizens, we cannot celebrate with crackers as it leads to air pollution.”
“My grandmother has an asthma problem and we have been celebrating Diwali with just candles for the last three years,” he said.