Harvesting Good Wishes: Going eco-friendly with smokeless bonfire in Dwarka

Dwarka: Celebrated on January 13 every year, Lohri, also called ‘Maghi’, is a popular winter folk festival in which people gear up to lit a bonfire, whirl around it singing folk songs, and popping sesame seeds, popcorn, and rewaris. Although people thoroughly enjoy it, sometimes, the smoke from bonfires can irritate the eyes and affect our health and environment. Therefore, several residents’ welfare associations (RWAs) in Dwarka decided to go eco-friendly this Lohri.

Concerned with the air pollution in Delhi, people and RWAs or managements emphasized on “community bonfire” at one place in the society and avoid separate burning by individuals or groups.

Also read: Dwarka: ‘Sukh Dukh Ke Sathi’ celebrates Lohri at Sector 22 park

Earlier, discussions were held in different groups of residents and RWAs in favour and against of such bonfire burning and they laid emphasis on pollution control and the safeguard for the environment. Such discussions helped them make the community aware and as a result, the number of bonfire burning decreased this year. 

Ramneet Kaur, a resident of Sector 3, says, “This year the celebration was very much focused on environment. People didn’t burn bonfire separately and its impact was quite evident. We must strive hard to curb air pollution and protect our environment.”

Environment experts and lovers conveyed this message with an appeal to the societies to use minimum bonefire. Capt S.S. Mann, president, Sukh Dukh Ke Sathi (SDKS) - a social group of residents, says, “ Lohri is a community celebration and it should be like that. We as a family celebrated the occasion in traditional style. Organising bonfire in group or at community level not only minimise the chance of pollution but also bring people together to celebrate.”