Lighthouse

Author(s): Udayvallabhvijay
Publisher: Pragna Prabodh Parivar

Page 76

Recently, a Public Interest Litigation was filed in the Supreme Court by three children (mind you, not Jains !) aged between 6 to 14 years, requesting the court to prohibit bursting of crackers during Diwali. All these three children were suffering from Asthma and hence their plea is understandable. They had claimed their Fundamental Right to Life under the Constitution, which includes right of breathing in clean air. Topnotch lawyers such as Dr. Abhishek Singhvi, K.K. Venugopal and Harish Salve appeared in the case without charging any fee. Though the Supreme Court did not issue any direction as requested, they did direct the Government to undertake a campaign in various media about the pollution created by bursting of crackers and to sensitize people about the issue. One thing is clear from this instance that even the Supreme Court agreed that bursting of crackers is harmful. Earlier also the Supreme Court had issued guidelines in a case in the year 2001. The Court considered the right to peaceful sleep as a Fundamental Right and had forbidden bursting of crackers between 10.00 pm. and 6.00 a.m. It is another thing that these guidelines are flouted. It is the responsibility of people as well as government that these guidelines are observed. We need to understand seriously the harmful effect of bursting crackers. The smoke that emanates after bursting any cracker contains sulphur dioxide and other poisonous chemicals. This smoke is extremely harmful for asthma patients, pregnant women and heart patients. For bursting of crackers as part of public display, there are specified places which are near lakes or river banks. This is to ensure against the possibility of accidental fires. However, the perchlorate particles which are used in manufacture of Lighthouse
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