Mumbai: Let there be no smoke, Andheri residents told

Citizens buy crackers from a dealer in south Mumbai. Pic/Suresh Karkera

The Lokhandwala-Oshiwara Citizens Association (LOCA) has appealed to over 1,000 residents of the area to refrain from using high smoke-emitting firecrackers this Diwali as it will not only affect the city's air quality but also cause breathing problems for those already suffering from COVID-19.

LOCA made the appeal via Whatsapp as well as over their respective social media handles. "COVID-19 patients have trouble breathing," read the message. "It is, as you know, related to the lungs…and those who recover from it also take a lot of time to become completely normal… We should take a conscious decision to give up high smoke-emitting firecrackers on Diwali."

The BMC is also mulling a ban in public places though it is not clear yet if this includes housing societies. A BMC official told mid-day, "There is a proposal to ban firecrackers in public places but a decision is yet to be taken."

The message asked residents to discourage neighbours, friends, family and others from bursting crackers.

Some examples of high smoke-emitting firecrackers are the 'snake' and 'electrical wires' which give off dense, heavily-coloured smoke. Dhaval Shah, co-founder, LOCA, said, "We have to stop the poisonous smoke from firecrackers from filling the city and save those struggling with COVID-19. This appeal is for residents to act responsibly so that we don't let the situation slip out of our hands like a few European countries which have again enforced a lockdown."

When questioned about asking people to not burst any firecrackers this year, he said, "Since this festival comes once a year, asking people to not use crackers at all will not resonate with everyone and it won't be followed at all. This appeal aims to at least reduce senseless crackers."

When asked about the state of Lokhandwala Market amid the festival season, Shah said, "Even without the festival season, people are flocking to markets and behaving as if the pandemic is over. Authorities need to clamp down on such laxity."

1k
Approx. no. of residents the LOCA has appealed to

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