Air pollution has become a serious issue for the residents of Delhi. Thick smog engulfs the capital causing breathing problems and deteriorating air visibility. Many schemes in the past and present have been introduced to tackle this menace.
From introducing the odd-even scheme to CNG driven cars and buses, promoting the use of bicycles and carpooling, the government in a recent move has put a ban on the plying of 15-year-old petrol and 10-year-old diesel vehicles in Delhi and ordered the Transport Department to impound these vehicles if found plying.
During the festival of lights, Diwali, bursting of crackers leads to widespread pollution. Hence, the Supreme Court has imposed a conditional ban on the bursting of crackers, allowing the use of only ¡®green¡¯ or eco-friendly crackers within a 2-hour time-frame.
Photo: BCCL
While local vendors remain clueless about the term ¡®green crackers¡¯ and are finding ways to push out their ¡®forbidden¡¯ stock, scientists at the Council Of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) have developed less-polluting firecrackers which are eco-friendly and much cheaper than the conventional ones.
News agency ANI reported that these crackers have been named ¡®Safe Water Releaser¡¯ (SWAS), ¡®Safe Minimal Aluminium¡¯ (SAFAL) and ¡®Safe Thermite Cracker¡¯ (STAR). All these variants have unique features.
ALSO, READ: Only Less Polluting 'Green Firecrackers' Allowed For Diwali, SC Bans Sale Of Online Crackers
These crackers have the ability to release water vapor and air as a dust suppressant which can also dilute gas emissions. While SWAS crackers eliminate the usage of Potassium Nitrate (KNO3) and sulphur leading to a reduction in the particulate matter by 30-35 percent. While STAR reduces the KNO3 and sulphur by 35-40 percent.
Photo: Hindustan Times
While SAFAL variant of the firecracker has minimal usage of aluminum. The main point to be noted here is that these crackers match the same sound intensity with that of commercial crackers in the range of 105-110 decibel.
The Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO) has been approached to analyse and test these crackers for safety and stability. Meanwhile, CSIR is also developing ¡®E-crackers¡¯ or ¡®E-ladi¡¯ which will be based on high-voltage electrostatic discharge to generate light and sound effect. The main idea is to provide people with the same social stimulation from electronic firecrackers that ones get from lighting the commercial ones.
ALSO READ: Vendors Have No Idea About ¡®Green Firecrackers¡¯; Shoppers Only Ask For Regular Ones