Go the eco-friendly way this Diwali, district administration urges citizens

GUWAHATI: The Kamrup (Metro) district administration has appealed for a green and eco-friendly Diwali, urging teachers to sensitize students about the harmful effects of crackers. The pollution control board has fixed the upper level for noise from crackers at 125 dB.
The district administration will constitute a team with officials from the administration, police, the Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) and the pollution control board, among others.The teams will monitor the stocks and sale stocks for violation of norms.
According to norms, there is a complete ban on lighting sound-emitting fire crackers between 10pm and 6 am.
Deputy commissioner M Angamuthu appealed the people to not light crackers in the vicinity of hospitals and to assist the GMC in disposing off the waste materials.
"We have also advised the school authorities to sensitize the students and staff regarding the effects of fire crackers so that they use safer alternatives like earthen lamps, lights and flowers to celebrate," he said.
On the other hand, some residents in the city have also started advocating safer celebration of Diwali. The residents of Games village have decided to celebrate the festival in a different way this time.
Manju Rani Deka, a member of the Diwali organizing committee said residents will only light the earthen lamps. "In a bid to involve the children, we have also organized a competition to prepare placards and the top three will be awarded," Deka added.