N.B. Nair
Celebrations – social or religious, are part of the Indian social fabric and we try to make it as colourful and vibrant as possible. An integral part of all festivals are sweets, crackers, gifts, lights and decorations.
In recent times, there is considerable awareness about the adverse effects of firecrackers, using chemical ingredients. In 2017, the Supreme Court of India imposed restrictions on the manufacture, sale, and use of firecrackers during festivals.
Though the apex court wanted the federal government to explore the possibility of ‘green crackers’, the one developed by the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) under the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research was able to cut air pollution only by 30 percent.
A group of young and socially committed activists in Chhindwara district in Madhya Pradesh in Central India felt these rituals do more harm than good.
“Today, we see the exploitation that marginalised communities and the environment has to suffer as a result of use of crackers, fireworks, excessive consumption of sugar, dairy and oil-based products, loudspeakers and extremely fancy decorations and gifts made from highly toxic and non-degradable materials,” said Tanmay Joshi of Gram Art Project, an organisation spearheading organic farming and inclusive development of the villages, protection of environment, gender equality, social sanitation and hygiene, etc. among the villages.
“Firecrackers and sweets are the two main consumables during Diwali and other major festivals. There is a lot of exploitation in both these manufacturing sectors –child workers, women, and farmers. While firecrackers use harmful chemicals, imported edible oil is used in the manufacture of sweets,” added Joshi’s co-worker Shweta Bhattad.
India being the largest consumer of edible oils, imports more than60 percent of its demand and Palm oil constitutes 60 percent of the total imports. More than half of the Palm oil imported is from Indonesia and Malaysia.
“Due to these imports, the oil seed diversity in India disappeared, as farmers found it uneconomical to grow oil seeds,” Bhattad explained. “Similarly, the promotion of wheat has resulted in the disappearance of millet cultivation in the country. Wheat is water intensive crop – it more than 1000 litres of water to produce one kilogram. On the other hand, millets and cereals consume much less water and can be cultivated even in arid regions. This is beneficial on three counts – more coverage of cultivation with less water that ensures food sovereignty,” she claimed.
Their work started in 2013-14, when they set out to create awareness about the adverse effects of genetically modified (GM) cotton, which is being grown in more than 90 percent of cultivated areas in the country. They cultivated non-genetically modified cotton to walk the talk and learn more about it by doing.
In 2016, the activists spun cotton threads and made wristbands using those threads for Rakshabandhan festival. Those bands had indigenous cotton seeds embedded in it. These bands are today collectively made by more than 150 rural women households living in 8-10 villages around Paradsinga.
“In 2020, we made ‘firecrackers’ and ‘sweets’ from eco-friendly material, with seeds Inside,” said Roshni Narnaware another volunteer with Gram Art Project. These firecrackers and sweets, made very realistically, were a medium to open a dialogue with consumers on traditional farming and cracker-free festivals, which is ecologically sustainable.
“We are advocating eco-friendly, exploitation-free, and meaningful alternatives to the current means of celebrations,” summed up Joshi.
So, let us celebrate Diwali and other festivals through ecologically and sustainable means.
Image courtesy: Tanmay Joshi