By Manpreet Singh Bhatia
Jamshedpur : Crackers are an inseparable part of Diwali celebrations. But several city-based organisations seemed to be aware about its negative effects are promoting eco-friendly Diwali this time. Taking the lead organisations like Punjabi Samaj and educational cradles like Xavier School of Management ( XLRI), and National Institute of Technology-Adityapur have given a call for safe Diwali.
Punjabi Samaj, an apex body of Punjabi community in the city, has decided to celebrate cracker less Diwali. Led by its president GianTaneja, the organisation has not only called for cracker less Diwali but also promoting the use of earthen �Diyas� and not imported Chinese lights.
�There is also an increasing concern over environmental pollution and the safety issues involved in making and bursting fire crackers. On the day of Diwali and the following days, the particulate matter in the atmosphere is at its pinnacle that can attribute to serious health issues. So under the banner of Punjabi Samaj we have decided to celebrate eco-friendly Diwali,� said GianTaneja, a prominent businessman of Jamshedpur.
“Crackers cause pollution. Not only it harms the environment but also patients who have asthma. So, we will not burst crackers,� noted the president.
Meanwhile, schools like Greenfield at Sonari are also educating children to shun use of crackers. “Children cannot be away from crackers. So, we have decided to organiseDiyotsav to at least tell them to use sound less crackers.
On that day, students, parents and teachers will participate to tie Diwali Suraksha bandhan (like a friendship band) to their fellow students, teachers and guests,” said Ekta Agarwal, Principal, Greenfield School.
City-based philanthropist Divya Taneja is also organising a Diwali Mela at Kalimati banquet hall, Super centre in Sakchi. The three-day mela that kicked-off on Friday (November 2) is also using the platform to promote the concept of noiseless Diwali.
�We have various stalls on Diwali related products but we are also using the platform to spread awareness in the society. Much also depends on peoples� mindset and attitude. Instead of lamps made of non-recyclable plastic and cost heavy on power consumption, people can choose to light the earthen lamps.
These can be recycled, are cost-effective and add a dash of natural beauty to the decorations. The option of switching on lights may seem appealing and hassle free. We want people to gather at a common place and celebrate Diwali with lamps and not with crackers, which make a loud noise. Our other objective is to promote the message of being social responsible,� said DivyaTaneja.