The use of fireworks over the Christmas and New Year celebrations is an absolute waste of the country’s scarce foreign currency, and all we witness is our limited reserves going up in smoke. I recommend that the sale of fireworks be banned and the import licence be revoked for what has become a dangerous pastime that is also a nuisance to citizens and dogs who are traumatised.
The use of fireworks is not only a hazard to the health and safety of both adults and children who set off these flammable items, but they endanger buildings which may be set ablaze. More so, fireworks contain a certain amount of radioactive material.
Due to their chemical similarities to radium, barium and strontium ores can accumulate radium, causing a remarkable activity in these minerals. Especially when they are used indoors—say, in a large sports arena—the health aspects of pyrotechnic devices should be taken seriously with respect to air pollution by toxic and radioactive substances.
Radiation fears aside, barium can pose a significant health hazard. Barium poisoning has been found to constrict airways, thereby aggravating asthma symptoms and can lead other health issues.
Citizens have repeatedly complained over the years of interrupted sleep at night when fireworks are set off most indiscriminately in the early hours of the morning way past midnight. This year in particular, the practice has commenced since Divali and has continued long after New Year’s day. In some neighbourhoods fireworks are exploded both night and day often startling people and sending dogs into a state of fear and panic which can lead to injury and even death. This is utter cruelty to animals as well.
The Environmental Management Authority and the police have received numerous complaints but the sheer lack of capacity and /or unwillingness to enforce the regulations for one reason or another, has resulted in the sale of this illegal substance to go unabated. Given that the capacity for self-regulation in our uncivilised society is low and state enforcement is weak, the only option is to revise antiquated legislation to completely ban the importation, sale and use of fireworks.
Fireworks displays should be confined to Independence Day and Republic Day and should be undertaken only by the state in wide open spaces as it was in the very recent past. Restricting the use of fireworks to specific days and hours will be totally ineffective and continue to be a public health and safety hazard.
With tough economic times ahead, we should start conserving scarce foreign currency. The enjoyment and enormous financial gain of a few individuals should not be encouraged at the expense of the national community. It’s really in our country’s national interest to conserve scarce foreign exchange instead of watching it all go up in useless smoke!
Allison Magalhaes