The bursting of crackers during Diwali not just adversely affects the environment as noise and sound pollution rises several notches above the normal level but it also results in a spurt in the number of burn- related cases.
The medical experts opine that parents should be vigilant and must accompany their children when they burst crackers on the Diwali day. It is observed nearly every year that the cracker-induced medical emergency cases are reported in a large number in all the hospitals with the children constituting a major percentage of such cases on the day of the festival.
The skin specialist posted in the Government Doon Medical College (GDMC) Hospital, Dr Mohammad Sadik Umar said that one should wear full-sleeved cotton clothes while bursting crackers and the children below ten years of age should not be allowed to burst them under any circumstances. He also suggested that a long incense stick should be used to light the crackers so that a safe distance is maintained. Dr Umar further said that the maximum number of burn cases is reported from Anar (sparklers) as children tend to lean over them to ignite them and many a time the sparkles hit their faces or it bursts immediately.
He said that cold water should be poured immediately if any burn injury is caused and the person should be rushed to the nearest medical facility.
The hospitals also receive many cases of road accidents induced by the firecrackers which, the medical experts believe, could be reduced if the crackers are burst in a large open space under vigilant eyes of senior members of the society.
Injury to eye is the most common form of damage caused by the careless bursting of crackers. In the Government Doon Medical College (GDMC) alone, 15-20 cases of eye injury are normally reported on the day of Diwali.
The head of the department of Ophthalmology of the hospital Dr Sushil Ojha said that the children suffer fire cracker injury of different kinds like burn, open globe, ruptured globe and intraocular foreign body. He said that the children should refrain from bursting crackers. “If they insist the parents must be there with them, keeping vigilant eyes on their activities,” he said.
He further said, “If possible avoid powerful noisy firecrackers, never go and see any firecracker if it is not blasted, never burn fire cracker in a glass bottle or pot or inside the dust or from hand directly.
Use paper for burning firecracker so that one can have enough time to run away. Finally, despite all precautions taken, if injuries happen the burn-inflicted should be rushed to the nearest hospital for the specialist consultation. Treating them at home must be avoided,” he said.
Dr Sujata Sanjay, Obstetrician and Gynecologist at Sanjay Othopaedic, Spine & Maternity centre, Jakahn, Dehradun said, "Crackers like ‘atom bomb’ and ‘Lakshmi’ contain highly toxic heavy metals like cadmium, lead, copper, manganese and zinc. “Others have arsenic, mercury, chromium and iron oxides which lead to severe pollution after they are burnt.
Moreover, pregnant women are more vulnerable to allergies which is why they should stay away from smoke,” she added.