Mumbai: With several major festivals approaching, Awaaz Foundation, a nonprofit, on Wednesday wrote to chief minister Devendra Fadnavis regarding the presence of potentially hazardous chemicals in ‘green’ firecrackers on sale in the city.
The reports revealed significant quantities of barium in crackers which were labelled ‘green’ or sustainable, it said. In the letter, environmental activist and Awaaz Foundation founder Sumaira Abdulali said the nonprofit had procured 17 varieties of firecrackers from Mohammed Ali Road and Kurla on October 9-10 and had them tested.
The police should take charge of the situation and ensure that such potentially poisonous crackers are not sold. She also called for stricter scrutiny of licensed outlets to prevent the sale of crackers falsely marketed as green. It also sought restrictions on loudspeakers and laser lights during upcoming festivals, including Navratri, Dussehra, Guru Nanak Jayanti, Christmas and New Year, citing concerns over noise and air pollution.
In the letter, the activist referred to the Mumbai police order prohibiting the use of firecrackers in public spaces till December 4, and urged the government to enforce restrictions at every stage, from distribution and sale to end-use. The letter said that Mumbai’s air quality index (AQI) had slipped from ‘good’ last month to ‘moderate’, with Kherwadi recording an AQI of 101 and PM2.5 at 103 on Wednesday morning.
Referring to the presence of barium and other hazardous components in the crackers, she said, “Allowing firecrackers containing toxic substances to be sold and then passing on the burden to citizens instead of regulatory authorities is not fair.
