MCC garbage vehicles to play jingles on use of green firecrackers

Mysuru: With Deepavali around the corner, the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) has taken measures to prevent air pollution in Mysuru city, insisting on the use of only green or eco-friendly firecrackers, while celebrating the festival.

For the first time, the KSPCB, with the support of Mysuru City Corporation (MCC), has planned to play audio jingles, to create awareness on the use of only green firecrackers for Deepavali. The jingles would be played by the vehicles that collect door-to-door garbage in all localities under MCC, every day. This is expected to create awareness among the people, especially youths and children.

MCC Environment Officer Mryuthunjaya said that the jingles in Kannada would be played in all tipper auto rickshaws from Friday. “The public should refrain from bursting firecrackers near hospitals and educational institutions. Green crackers are 30% less polluting and have a lower sound level than regular ones. Crackers should be lit only between 8 pm and 10 pm from October 30 to November 2. The green crackers can be identified with the logo on the packet, which mentions Green crackers, a CSIR-NEERI (National Environmental and Engineering Research Institute) innovation,” he said.

The green crackers are made of alternative raw materials, to have a smaller negative impact on the environment and fewer health hazards. They don’t contain aluminum, barium, potassium nitrate or carbon. Their noise is between 110 and 125 decibels, against more than 160 decibels for conventional crackers, he said.

KSPCB, which has geared up to crackdown on normal crackers that pollute the air, has given strict instructions to the vendors to sell only green crackers. It has insisted on selling personal protection equipment (PPE) in the stalls, that include goggles and gloves, for the safe usage of crackers, to prevent any burn injury.

Speaking to DH, V S Kumar, Environment Officer, KSPCB, said, “Letters have been sent to the Police department, communicating the ban of regular crackers. Besides, the MCC has been urged to issue licenses only to the stalls that sell green crackers.”

A meeting has already been held with the MCC and vendors, insisting on selling only green crackers, along with PPE. The godowns in the city would be inspected, along with the Police, Fire department and MCC officials.

If anyone violates the norms, the materials would be confiscated and a criminal case will be filed by the authorities concerned. All departments are working in tandem with the KSPCB, in this regard. We appeal to the public to cooperate. One more meeting will be held. The details would be advertised in newspapers also, he added.