As the bench of justice B R Gavai and K Vinod Chandran granted permission to lit up the sky with colourful firecrackers, health experts urged citizen to be mindful of the risks associated with air pollution.
As we draw closer to celebrating India’s biggest festival, Diwali, the Supreme Court of India on Wednesday granted permission to burst green crackers in Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) between October 18 and 21.
Citizens will be allowed to burst green crackers from 6 am to 8 am and again in the evening from 8 pm to 10 pm. Green crackers can be purchased at designated sites between October 15 and 25.
As the bench of justice B R Gavai and K Vinod Chandran granted permission to lit up the sky with colourful firecrackers, health experts urged citizens to be mindful of the risks associated with air pollution.
How Does Air Pollution Lead To Disease?
According to the World Health Organization (WHO) the dust, fumes, gas, mist, odour, smoke, or vapour can be injurious to human health when they pass through the respiratory tract. It states, “Breathing in these pollutants leads to inflammation, oxidative stress, immunosuppression, and mutagenicity in cells throughout our body, impacting the lungs, heart, brain, among other organs and ultimately leading to disease.”
Most Common Diseases
The global health organization claims that some of the most common diseases associated with air population include stroke, ischaemic heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer, pneumonia, and cataract.
The National Institute of Health (NIH) also claims, “Many studies have established that short-term exposure to higher levels of outdoor air pollution is associated with reduced lung function, asthma, cardiac problems, emergency department visits, and hospital admissions. Mortality rates related to air pollution are also a concern. Exposure to the air pollutant PM2.5 is associated with an increased risk of death.”
Delhi-NCR Air Quality
Days ahead of Diwali, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) on Tuesday enforced Stage 1 restrictions under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) across Delhi-NCR.
According to the WHO data on ‘health and environment scorecard for 194 countries’ Dr Maria Neira, Director, Department of Environment, Climate Change and Health, stated, “Tackling environmental risks isn’t optional, it’s a prescription for better health, stronger economies, and a safer future. You can’t have healthy people on a sick planet. We urge all countries to take bold, coordinated action across sectors to reduce environmental threats. Investing in clean air, safe water, and climate-protective policies is not just good for the planet. It’s essential for the health and future of their people.”
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