Time to pour water on our firecracker obsession

The Kerala High Court has banned fireworks at night in all places of worship in the state. A welcome move indeed but sadly, it took the death of a 109 people to wake the authorities up. India's obsession with firecrackers is a dangerous one indeed. Apart from the regular Diwali injuries and excessive pollution, there have been a zillion incidents involving fireworks. In Sivakasi, home to more than 700 cracker factories, a blaze in an unlicensed firecracker factory killed some 40 people in 2012.

Of course, India isn't alone. There have been many fireworks-related accidents all over the world with the US accounting for many of them. Americans are known to spend nearly a billion dollars on fireworks for the Fourth of July celebrations. In Enshede in the Netherlands in 2000, nearly 100 tonnes of crackers exploded after a fire, taking out an entire building, killing 23 and injuring nearly 1000 people. In China, an entire bridge got destroyed when a truck carrying crackers exploded.

We, as a nation, however, continue to light crackers for every occasion - from a cricket victory to an election win to the neighbours's wife running off with the maid's husband's brother's nephew. We don't look at the discomfort caused to the elderly, to children studying for exams, or even to animals with sensitive hearing. No sir. Have money, will light crackers. Sometimes it just looks like an ugly display of wealth. More the money, louder the noise.

New Year celebrations around the world often have dazzling firework displays done by professionals in a public area, usually near a famous landmark. In fact, new year celebrations for the world begin in Sydney where fireworks light up the sky near the gorgeous harbour bridge. Why can't we have a similar option in India?

Why not have New Year and Diwali celebrations in certain public areas only? Delhi, for example, could hold a display at India Gate, Qutub Minar, Red Fort, etc. Mumbai can do it at Marine Drive and the Gateway of India.

Of course, it's not going to be easy. Parting an Indian from his "patakha" is perhaps more difficult then parting an American redneck from his rifle. However, when we look at the cost it takes in terms of human lives, isn't it worth it?