bad effect of festival on environment

DIWALI
Unfortunately, every year, the quantum of air and noise pollution caused due to the
bursting of firecrackers increases on Diwali.

Firecrackers release pollutants such as sulphur dioxide, carbon dioxide, carbon

monoxide etc in the air, which causes ailments like asthma and bronchitis. Not only the
elderly and patients in hospitals, but animals and birds are also affected due to air and
noise pollution.

Though various schools and organisations organised demonstrations prior to Diwali to

educate the masses on a pollution-free festival, their efforts have been futile.

The environment and pollution departments also got notices published in various
newspapers about regulations to curb noise and air pollution, but to no avail.

As per directions of the Supreme Court, bursting of sound-emitting firecrackers has been
banned between 10pm to 6am. However, shockingly, the direction was openly flouted as
firecrackers were burst throughout the night.

This caused excessive noise and air pollution. On the receiving end of this menace were
the elderly and patients in hospitals.

Post Diwali, the roads are littered with the remnants of fireworks. The deluge of garbage,
including empty bottles used to light off rockets, on every nook and corner of the city is a
worrying sign.
“It’s not a new thing. This happens every year,” said Naresh Johar, a city-based writer.

Pollutant levels
CPCB is, however, satisfied with the dipping levels of some air pollutants. Sulphur dioxide
concentration on Sunday night decreased at five locations from last year. However, the values
increased at two locations - Pitampura in west Delhi and Shahzada Bagh in north Delhi, where the
levels of this pollutant increased from 13 μg/m3 last year to 40 μg/m3 this time.
Suphur dioxide levels have been found within the prescribed standard of 80 μg/m3 at all locations.
Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) concentration also remained on the lower side, ranging between 26 and 87
μg/m3 as compared to 44 and 85 μg/m3 in 2012.
The NO2 levels are within the prescribed standard of 80 g/m3 at six locations except Shahzada Bagh
which is the only location where it has gone up - from 64 μg/m3 to 87 μg/m3.

Sulphur dioxide concentration on the festive day decreased at five locations, while the values
increased at two locations in comparison to last year.

Sulphur dioxide concentration ranged between 5 and 56 A-g/m3 as compared to 3 and 63 A-g/m3
last year. SO2 levels have been found within the prescribed standard of 80 g/m3 at all the
locations.
Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) concentration also remained on the lower side ranging between 26 and
87 A-g/m3 as compared to 44 and 85 A-g/m3 in 2012.

The NO2 levels are within the prescribed standard of 80 A-g/m3 at six locations except Shahzada
Bagh.

Particulate matter levels have shown an increasing trend at all the locations this year as compared
to last year.

Respirable suspended particulate matter (RSPM) values ranged between 796 and 1138 A-g/m3as
compared to 748 and 951 A-g/m to 3 A-g/m3 during Diwali last year.

Increased Particulate matter levels values in general may be attributed to adverse meteorological
conditions, like lower night time temperature, low mixing height and low wind speed.

GANESH FESTIVAL
Widespread campaigns are already on for an eco-friendly Ganesh Chaturthi festival but
still a large section of the society are unaware of the pollution and environmental
damage caused by Plaster of Paris idols and chemical paints. Some large Ganesha
Pandal committees, to attract maximum crowd conveniently forget the environmental
impact caused by the idols. In 2009, date of Ganesh Chaturthi festival is August 23.

The main pollution is caused by the Plaster of Paris Ganesh idols and the chemical
paints used in them.

* Plaster of Paris (POP) is not a naturally occurring material and contains gypsum,
sulphur, phosphorus and magnesium. The idols take several months to dissolve in water
and in the process poison the waters of lake, ponds, rives and seas.

* The chemical paints used to decorate the Ganesh idol contain mercury, lead, cadmium
and carbon and this increases the acidity and heavy metal content in the water.

* Several accessories used during the Ganesh Puja like Thermocole, plastic flowers,
cloth, incense, camphor and numerous other materials are dumped carelessly adding
more strain to the already polluted rivers and lakes.

* Careless dumping of Ganesh idols in waterbodies blocks the natural flow of water. This
results in stagnation and breeding of mosquitoes and other harmful pests.

* The polluted water causes several diseases including skin diseases.

* The pollution from Ganesh Chaturthi idols also damages the ecosystem, kills fishes
and water plants.
* In many areas, the same polluted water gets pumped into homes.

Alternatives
* Use eco-friendly clay idols painted with natural colors.

* Use permanent idols made of stone and perform a symbolic immersion and reuse the
idol each year.

* Avoid public waterbodies to immerse the idols, instead immerse idol in bucket or tub

HOLI FESTIVAL.
Holi’ is a religious spring festival celebrated by Hindus. ‘Holi’ is also known as
festival of colors. It is primarily
observed in India and Nepal. The most celebrated ‘Holi’ is in the Braj region, in locations
connected to the Lord
Krishna: Mathura, Vrindavan, Nandagaon, and Barsana. Bonfires are lit on the eve of
the festival, also known as
‘Holika Dahan’ (burning of Holika) or ‘Chhoti Holi’ (little ‘Holi’) after which prayers are
offered. ‘Holi’ is
celebrated at the end of the winter season on the last full moon day of the lunar month
Phalguna (February/March).
In most areas, ‘Holi’ lasts about two days. Every year, thousands of Hindus participate in
the festival ‘Holi’.

Such a colourful Holi was soon overtaken by

commercialisation, which started providing exotic colours, but
in a highly dangerous form. Toxic chemicals are being used to
get the desired colours. They do not wash away easily, get
mixed in drains and sewage systems and pollute water bodies
and the soil. The festival, which used to be a healthy revelry of
mankind is no longer an exuberant, healthy event. Following are
some of example of chemical colours, their composition &

Water is an addition gives revelers some relief from the

oppressive heat that hits much of India at this time. While
celebrants are still sure to get wet or drenched this year. The
Indian government is encouraging the public to forego or at
least tone down the splashing. The reason being that Drought
is hitting some parts of india particularly hard this year.

DURGA POOJA
Durga puja is the pride of the Bengalis in India. We celebrate this Durga Puja for 4 days,

i.e. Saptami, Astami, Nabami, and Dashami. In Astami, we pray Maa Durga going to a

pandal in our neighbourhood and we offer prayers to the Goddess Durga. In this puja,

some clubs play music boxes at high decibel thus causing sound pollution.

Sound pollution is not only the last thing that happens in Durga Puja. We have water

pollution. We immerse the Durga idols in the waters of the river Ganges. This water gets

polluted with the paints in the body of Durga. The clay gets washed away in water leaving

the structure. But what happens to the poisonous lead and other harmful minerals in the

water? This harmful pollutants absorbed in our body someway or the other. You want to

know the harm it causes. Well I have seen..being a witness that some young people have

gray hair!! You will say, young with gray hair...I will say ....Yes! This young men have

gray hair as the pollutants enter the body and cause genetic modification. I am writing

this confidence as I have read it in a report in a science column in newspaper.

Sound pollution is causing harm to our ears and hearing system! The loud music played
during the emersion of Goddess Durga in procession with shouting and screaming hurts
our ear, which can tolerate sound only upto a certain decibel. The music is soothing upto
a certain decibel. Beyond that it becomes an irritant, a nuisance to the human being.
He/She feels irritated and angry and swears those who play the play music barbarically!
Music at that point becomes an object of hatred!

After a days hard work, I came to my house the day after Dashami and laid in bed, just
trying to sleep....but I could not....I couldn't sleep as the noise and shouting of the
revelers of Durga Puja going to the riverside is disturbing my hearing tolerance, irritating
me to the full extent that my face turned red like an apple and I am shouting at them like
a mad person!!