GUWAHATI, Oct 21 - Getting a massive response to the call to avoid air and sound pollution and celebrate Diwali as the �festival of lights,� the Ellora Vigyan Mancha has intensified its campaign across the State in association with a number of other science and environmental organisations of Assam.
The Mancha today submitted a memorandum to Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal urging him to implement the order and directions of the Supreme Court with regard to Diwali celebration and bursting of firecrackers in letter and spirit in the State.
The Supreme Court order dated October 23, 2018 said that the firecrackers with reduced emission (improved crackers) and green crackers would be permitted to be manufactured and sold. The court also stated that extensive public awareness campaigns shall be taken up by the Central government and state governments, schools and colleges informing the public about the harmful effects of firecrackers. The court also categorically said that on Diwali days or on any other festivals, bursting of firecrackers would strictly be from 8 pm to 10 pm. The sale of firecrackers shall only be through licensed traders and no e-commerce websites, including Flipkart, Amazon, etc., shall accept any online orders and effect online sales.
The Chief Minister was also requested to issue necessary orders to the district and police administrations throughout the State in this regard.
Different branches of Ellora Vigyan Mancha have also submitted memorandums to the respective DCs and SPs of different districts to this effect.
In some parts of Assam, the activists of the Mancha have taken out processions as part of the awareness campaigns against ill-effects of bursting firecrackers.
The science and environmental organisations, through an appeal being published jointly and distributed widely across the State, have stated that apart from creating sound and air pollution, the ill-effects of firecrackers on human beings were immense and on birds and animals traumatic.
