GUWAHATI, Oct 23 - A rally was today organised by the Rural Women Upliftment Association of Assam to celebrate �Harit Diwali-Swasth Diwali� sponsored by the Union Ministry of Environment and Forest and Climate Change and supported by the Assam Science Technology and Environment Council (ASTEC), with the objective to create awareness and sensitise the community to minimise excessive bursting of crackers during Diwali in view of health hazards and adverse environmental impact.
The rally was flagged off by Dr Arup Kumar Misra, Director, ASTEC, Paragmoni Aditya, Chief Editor, Time 8, and Surjya Kumar Bordoloi, chairman, RWUAA, at Dighalipukhuripar.
Over 150 students from different colleges and universities like Mahapurusha Srimanta Sankaradeva Viswavidyalaya, NERIM, Down Town University, Guwahati College and Handique Girls� College participated in the rally. Leaflets were distributed among the people.
Dr Misra, in his speech, focused on how bursting of crackers was creating a health hazard, besides incidents of burning and fire and damage, and causing loss of hearing, eyesight, etc. He also mentioned the pollution caused by smoke from crackers which adversely impacts children and aged people in particular and animal and birds as well. Aditya, in his speech, lauded RWUAA for organising the rally and referred to the huge amount of waste generated after bursting of crackers.
