Diwali is a season where we enjoy our self but we don’t know the effect of air
pollution by burning the crackers. Air pollution occurs when the air contains
gases, dust, fumes in harmful amount which is harmful to the health of humans,
plants and animals. The substances that cause air pollution are called pollutants.
There are two types of pollutants which cause major effect to atmosphere. They
are primary pollutant and secondary pollutant. Pollutants that are pumped into
our atmosphere and directly pollute the air are called primary pollutants (eg,
Carbon monoxide from car exhausts and sulphur dioxide from the combustion
of coal). The primary pollutants in the atmosphere under chemical reactions, the
resulting compounds are called secondary pollutants (eg, Photochemical smog).
High usage of crackers during Diwali, health fragile people are more prone to
respiratory illness like bronchial asthma and tuberculosis. Diwali is in the onset
of winter season, the harmful gas released due to the burning of crackers get
mixed with the fog in the environment resulting in smog which is very harmful
for asthma patients. People with this respiratory ailments are more prone to
suffer from acute asthma attacks, which may require immediate hospitalisation.
Air pollution which is caused due to bursting of fire crackers causes other
ailments too like infections leading to conjunctivitis in children as well as
adults.
Carbon monoxide, Nitrous oxide, sulphur dioxide in addition with other
elements like chromium, cadmium and mercury which are released during the
bursting of fire crackers may lead to severe chest diseases. The crackers contain
harmful chemical such as lead, magnesium, zinc and copper all of which release
toxic fumes when burnt and cause pollution. The increasing levels of sulphur
dioxide in the air after coming in contact with the nose and throat irritate the
respiratory tracks. Heavy metals like potassium chlorate, sulphur arsenic
sulphate, aluminium and copper are found abundantly in the air on post Diwali.
These emissions enter the blood stream through breathing and can lead to
thrombosis. The people who suffering from respiratory problems must take
special care during Diwali. People are advised to be sensitive towards the health
concerns of their dear and near ones while celebrating the festival of lights. The
asthma patients should avoid crowded places and cover themselves properly
before going out. Severe causes of skin allergy are also noticed after Diwali.
People must aware of those things and they should take concern treatment.
Crackers like phuijari and avar include highly toxic heavy metals like copper,
cadmium, lead manganese, zinc, sodium and potassium. If these metals present
in the air it can trigger asthma to the people. They can cause severe headache,
respiratory diseases in the lungs apart from chronic cough. Crackers that cause
more troubles are anars, chakris and snake pills. Hazards caused by crackers
include loss in hearing, increase in blood pressure, heart attacks and sleeping
disturbance.
During Diwali the level of sulphur dioxide in air rises by 200 per cent. So the
patients who use inhalers should take it half a before bursting crackers and those
who are on medicine should take it an hour in advance.
Bursting of crackers can also cause hearing loss. Steady and loud noise cause
hearing loss after a prolonged noise exposure. Very loud abrupt sounds, such as
explosions, fire crackers can cause immediate hearing loss which tends to be
more severed and more permanent. To prevent hearing loss in these cases
always uses ear protection.
Diwali is a “Festival of light”; let’s not make it “Festival of pollution”. Diwali
brings happiness and prosperity in many people’s life by providing them
employment. Let us not make it a festival which brings harm to nature and
humankind.