26 October,2009 11:10 AM IST | | Alpana Lath Sawai
Mumbai achieved a distinction this Diwali. It became the proud owner of the most polluted airspace in India, overshadowing rivals Delhi and Kolkata by large margins. One felt quite superior reading about it in the papers.
Delhi had its huge, wide roads; Kolkata had its intellectuals. But it was only Mumbai that could make even the most carbon-tainted Mumbaiwallah's lung look blacker. We did it by giving free rein to our primal desires to get the loudest bang for our buck. That is just what Mumbai is all about, isn't it. This is why the workforce of the country flows here.
The stories coming out of Delhi and Kolkata were different. In Delhi, we heard, grassroot workers had gone to each house, telling people not to burst noisy crackers. How people exaggerate. Surely, not every single house. Then a relative telephoned from Kolkata. Apparently, there it was the police that were making these home visits. The cops had even put up signs everywhere saying that offenders would be fined.
Delhiites and Kolkatans were even calling up people in other parts of the country and boasting of their new-found environmental sensibilities. Apparently, few were complaining about the rules.
A noiseless Diwali is still a dream
Mumbai has 1.8 crore people; Kolkata 1.29 cr and Delhi 1.16 cr. Delhi and Kolkata's law enforcers may have been able to cover those numbers. But imagine expecting our over-burdened men in khakhi to add firecracker control to their list of election duty, political duty, bandobasts etc...
Please. No more excuses. No justifications on why we can't ban cacophonous firecrackers. The Supreme Court has already upheld our "right to peaceful sleep". You cannot burst crackers between 10 pm and 6 am. And, if your bang is over 125 decibels (at 4 metres), you're out of line. Delhi and Kolkata seem to be heading towards complying with these rules.
Surely, Mumbai can be inspired too. Loud fireworks play havoc with not just our sleep, but also blood pressure and hearing. They traumatise infants and toddlers.u00a0
We, the public, must obey. When we don't, the police needs to punish us. They need to get serious about the pointless 'atom' and 'rassi' bombs, which only have nuisance value. They have a whole year before next Diwali to work out a game plan.
Mumbai as a city understands the importance of lip service. That is why the International Indian Film Academy airs celebrity-helmed ads exhorting people to get environmentally-conscious. Mumbai needs to go beyond talking, we must now do something. It is time we not just make a noise but reduce it.
