The Darkness Beneath the Festive Lights

Diwali, ‘the festival of lights’ is one of the most celebrated festivals in India. Families and friends gather together during this time to celebrate the occasion. But in the midst of the happiness and positivity of this festival, lies a deadly yet underappreciated problem. Diwali celebration is always followed by a sudden spike in toxicity in the air, way above the permissible limit the harm which people unknowingly cause to the environment. The sudden rise in air pollution during Diwali is one of the major triggers of air pollution in India over the years and unfortunately turns this much celebrated festival into a nightmare for degradation of the environment.

Widespread use of firecrackers, which is an essential part of the celebration , is the major culprit for triggering the sudden spike in air pollution. The burning of firecrackers cause emission of gaseous pollutants like potassium nitrates, potassium chlorate, potassium perchlorate, charcoal, sulfur, manganese, sodium oxalate, aluminum, iron dust powder, strontium nitrate to name a few along with other particles like water soluble ions and trace metals. High emission of these gasses resulting from uncontrolled burning of firecrackers, chemical composition of the air.. The inhalation of such toxic air results in serious respiratory problems and thus causes serious health issues. The children and the senior citizens are the most vulnerable to having major health problems due to the menace caused by the usage of fireworks and the resulting air pollution.

The union territory of Delhi traditionally led this Diwali pollution compared to other parts of India. So, Delhi has been at the center stage of discussions whenever there is a discussion on Diwali air pollution. Delhi’s air pollution levels are much higher during this time compared to other states compounded by additional pollution from the burning of stubbles in the neighboring states .

Data collected from 3rd November 2021 to 6th November 2021 reveal a massive surge in the levels of PM2.5, one of the pollutants, which was observed to be nearly 2.5 times higher during the Diwali night than the other days. Such data proves the fact that Diwali has been a major contributor in the pollution levels. Furthermore, the pollutants from the release of harmful unburnt fuel from the vehicles are already a major concern.

A study on the levels of major pollutants like CO, PM2.5, NO, NO2 and Ozone reveal the escalation of the harmful concentration of these gasses in the atmosphere. Their concentrations are so bad that it is not even comparable to other developed cities like California. For example, during Diwali 2021, the PM2.5 levels in Delhi was around 600 ug/m3 at midnight, but in California, USA, the highest recorded levels was around 27.4 ug/m3 in the same year. Such comparisons show the alarming concentrations of toxic air which the people residing there are exposed to.

No doubt the government of India is taking measures to solve this issue but simply laying down rules and not taking further steps would never help us in any way. This is not sufficient to wake up the society and let them know what harm their unconscious actions have caused to the environment. The rules laid down need to be strictly followed. The people should be made aware of the gravity of the situation. More awareness campaigns and research need to be carried out so that people stop mistreating the environment. Students from schools and colleges need to be involved. Proper monitoring system should be installed to check the pollution levels. Rule breakers should be heavily fined. If people are still not serious about the deteriorating environment then the day is not far when Delhi would be inhabitable for human life.