Cracker free Diwali taking root in Gurugram
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Cracker free Diwali taking root in Gurugram

People are spreading more awareness to celebrate the festival sans smokes and gases.

Cracker free Diwali taking root in Gurugram Representative image

Concerned over rising pollution in the city, several societies in Gurugram came forward to take a pledge to celebrate a cracker free Diwali indicating that the message of environment is sinking in the millennium city. 

People from various societies are now busy making plans in order to celebrate Diwali in a pollution free environment. As many as nine societies including Hamilton Court, World Spa, The Citizen, Vaastu, Escape, Silver Oaks, Fresco, Belmonte and Uniworld City have taken the pledge for cracker free Diwali and urged others to follow suit.

Virender Yadav, RWA president of The Citizen, said, "We have issued a notification advising the residents to celebrate the auspicious occasion without bursting crackers."

Although some societies celebrated Diwali without crackers last year too, this time around people are have taken upon themselves the responsibility to spread awareness about environment to push for the celebrations sans smokes and gases.

Dr. Shalini Mullick, RWA member Escape, said, “Last year, our society kids held a door-to-door campaign to explain the ill-effects of bursting crackers on the environment. This year, we have completely prohibited the crackers in our society and directed the staff not to allow anyone to burst crackers inside the society. We are circulating messages and sending mails asking them to celebrate Diwali free from noise and air pollution.”

Reason behind the RWA issuing the directives is that many people living in the society are against firecrackers.

Nilesh Tandon, president of Fresco RWA, said, "For the past five years, we have not allowed  bursting of crackers inside the premises of the society. More than 800 families are residing in our society and most of them have happily complied with the rule. If someone wishes to burst crackers, he/she is allowed to burst only green crackers and that too outside the society for a limited period of time as per the norms laid down by the environmental agency."

Apart from celebrating pollution free Diwali, people are urging each other to discontinue the practice of using plastic in gift packaging. They are laying more emphasis on Rangoli and paper based decorative items for decorating their homes and use of natural paraphernalia for the puja.

Ruchika Sethi, founder of Citizens for Clean Air, said, “Gurugram is one of the most polluted cities in the world. Many RWAs have pledged to celebrate Diwali without bursting crackers. They are making their efforts to reduce pollution. We are also writing a letter to the authorities demanding that societies celebrating cracker free Diwali should be honoured as this will encourage others to follow the same.”

Meanwhile, Kuldeep Singh, Regional Officer said, “We appreciate the efforts made by the societies to celebrate Diwali cracker free. We will honour them with letter of appreciation for contributing their efforts towards reducing the pollution.”

Ajay Nayar, convenor of Vaastu Apartment said, “Last year, we celebrated the crackers free Diwali in our society. This time, we have requested others societies too join us in this noble cause and celebrate the festivity free from pollution of any kind.”