The festival of lights took away light from 45 patients who visited the Advanced Eye Centre of the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), with Diwali related injuries. Out of this, 18 patients were seriously injured and would require surgical repair.
Ankit, 15 a resident of Dera Bassi, on the outskirts of the city planned a silent Diwali. However, he got injured when a neighbourhood friend kicked a flower pot, a type of firecracker, which throws a fountain of coloured flames into the air, which shot its fumes in his eyes. Since then Diwali, turned into excruciating pain and a burning sensation.
Many school children in the Tri City took oath of celebrating a clean and cracker free Diwali, but not all refrained from busting crackers. Even the veterinary doctors around the city were busy on Monday treating various animals, especially dogs for trauma caused by high intensity sound producing crackers.
Jackie, a six-year-old German shepherd, from Panchkula suffered a different fate. This dog suffered serious burn injuries when, a rocket, which was being lighted by one of his master’s relative, went in the wrong direction and hit Jackie who was cowering in a corner, tied up, due to the sound being produced by all the crackers.
Official spokesperson of PGI said that till 3 pm on November 4, as many as 45 patients were referred to the premier medical institute for eye related injuries, very common on a Diwali night. Eight patients who came to its out patient department had no vision presentation.
Most of the patients with blunt trauma suffered serious eye injuries. Among the total 45 patients, 22 were children who have suffered serious burns. But only 15 patients were from the Tri City and the rest were referred from outside. The number of injuries is relatively lower than the previous year and the experts believe that rising price and awareness among many city residents had brought down the use of crackers among the city residents.