This Deepawali a ‘Festival of Lights’ hold great significance for the people belonging to the Hindu faith. It is celebrated every autumn. One of the most popular festivals of Hinduism, Diwali symbolises the spiritual “victory of light over darkness, good over evil and knowledge over ignorance”.

Diwali is the occasion of joyous celebrations. The delicious food, sparkling fireworks, and diyas i.e. all that this festival of lights is about bring in joy and excitement.

One cannot, however, ignore the involved risk that it puts us all into such as fire accidents in the form of burns and injuries.

This time round, why not celebrate Diwali with a difference? Let’s think about our environment, our domestic pets, our ecosystem as a whole.

REMINDER OF THE SET OF RULES AND REGULATIONS WHILE CELEBRATING DIWALI:

Adherence to the guidelines laid down by the Supreme Court of India

Adherence to the government notification on the sale/purchase and bursting of: fireworks/crackers having noise level exceeding 125 dB (AI) or 145 dB (C) pk at 4 meters distance from the point of bursting is prohibited except other types of tarabatti and tubri without sound.; joined firecrackers, the limit of sound be reduced by 5 log 10 (N) dB, from 125 dB (AI) or 145 dB (C) where N is the number of crackers joined together; avoidance of bursting of crackers in public places, silence zones and other sensitive areas like educational institutions, hospitals, courts, religious places, government offices etc; bursting of firecrackers between 10 pm till 6 am is prohibited and punishable by law.

Adherence to management, segregation, disposal and collection of waste as per the Solid and Plastic Waste Management and other Rules and regulations governing Environmental Protection.

Dos and don’ts for a safe and colourful Diwali

Diwali Dos

 Burst crackers in an open space and make sure that there is no combustible or inflammatory

substance around.

 Always purchase fireworks from licensed sellers.

 Do remember to read the instructions printed on the label of cracker, especially if the cracker is

new to use.

 Store firework in a closed container and keep them away from any inflammatory or combustible

substances around.

While burning the cracker, maintain safe distance.

Keep burn ointments, bucketful of water and fire extinguishers as a first aid  handy.

In the case of minor burns, splash cold water on the affected area. Cover it with a moist sterile

bandage and immediately visit the doctor.

While bursting crackers, tie your hair properly, especially if you have long hair.

Keep a watch on what you wear. Avoid wearing long and loose clothes as they are likely to

catch fire. Instead, wear fitted cotton clothes.

Make sure that your child bursts crackers under your supervision. Take special care of kids.

 If the noise of crackers is deafening, put cotton plugs in your ears to avoid damage.

 People with any kind of respiratory problems must stay indoors.

Make sure to remove any inflammable object from your roof top.

Wear footwear while lighting fireworks.

First aid kits should be kept handy.

DIAL 108 in ANY EMERGENCY

Diwali Don’ts

Don’t light crackers in hand.

Don’t leave the firecrackers around burning candles and diyas.

Never burst crackers near electric poles and wires.

Never throw half burnt crackers, they may fall on an inflammable object and ignite fire.

Don’t wear silk and synthetic fabric outdoors.

Don’t ever try to burst crackers inside any vehicle.

Avoid tampering with crackers if they take longer to burst. Maintain safe distance from the

cracker and pour water to diffuse it.

Avoid using open fire (matches or lighters) for bursting crackers. Instead, use sparkler, long fire

wood or agarbatti to burst a cracker.

 Do not burst crackers beyond permissible time and permissible decibel.

The usual precautions that spread by word during Diwali celebrations are perhaps not uncommon to us. But, it is important to follow them to avoid any untoward situation from cropping up. Lets be responsible and take care of our environment.

  festival