With Diwali just around the corner, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and its Fire Brigade have issued a public advisory urging Mumbaikars to celebrate the festival safely and responsibly.
In the advisory, the BMC has requested citizens to avoid bursting firecrackers inside buildings, near trees, overhead wires, gas pipelines, staircases, and parking areas, reported the PTI.
“Diwali is a time of joy and celebration, but safety must always come first,” said a civic official.
The BMC also reminded people that in case of any emergency, they can reach out to the fire and rescue services by dialling 101 or 1916.
The fire brigade stressed that Diwali should be celebrated in an eco-friendly way, avoiding both air and noise pollution caused by crackers. They advised citizens to wear cotton clothes, keep a bucket of water nearby, and avoid using open flames like lighters or candles to light crackers.
The Mumbai civic body also stated that there should be adult supervision, especially when children are handling firecrackers.
Safety tips by BMC
– Wearing footwear while bursting crackers
– Cleaning fire injuries with water immediately
– Hiring certified technicians for installing decorative lights
– Avoiding overloading of electrical circuits to prevent fire hazards
“Mumbaikars should enjoy the festival of lights in a safe and environmentally conscious manner,” the fire brigade said in a statement.
While Mumbai is set to experience significant noise and air pollution during Diwali, adequate measures to ensure that Air Quality Index (AQI) levels do not rise alarmingly are raising concerns.
During the festive season, between August and December, an increase in sound pollution is witnessed across the city and with bursting firecrackers could lead to high AQI levels, which cause respiratory illnesses such as asthma, and other health problems such as irritation to the eye, fatigue, headaches, leg pain, joint pain, and stomach issues, as well as other symptoms such as hair loss and skin diseases.
According to the portal IQAir, Mumbai ranks sixth among cities across in world in terms of bad air quality. Three other Indian cities feature in the top six, with Kolkata and New Delhi ranking no. 1 and 2, respectively. On Tuesday, Mumbai clocked an AQI of 131, featuring in the orange group, which indicates unhealthy air quality for sensitive groups.
