Existing Effects of Crackers on Animals

 

Every year we celebrate Diwali in the months of October and November. Diwali is the most popular festival in India, and it is also celebrated worldwide. This festival is celebrated because good always wins over bad and also called the festival of lights . However, the way of celebrating this festival is for people to burst firecrackers for celebration. 

During this festive season, air pollution in India is very high in many states like Delhi We already know the harmful effects of firecrackers and how it causes global warming. But, apart from humans, is only the environment affected by the firecrackers?

It is a known fact that firecrackers not only harm the environment and humans as well as other living organisms. However, most people ignore the problems faced by animals and birds. 

Physical Damage Faced:

Everyone enjoys bursting crackers but often, they end up being a huge hazard to the animals. For example, there have been many incidents where children have tied up crackers on the tails of animals and burn them and they have nowhere to run which ends up facing severe burns and injuries of the animals. On the other side, crackers like rockets hurt the birds too. It is also possible that a bird gets hit by crackers while flying. Though people see it as a fun factor, the animals are the ones who actually suffer.

Animals like dogs and birds have a wider hearing range of listening ability than humans. We cannot hear the noise of the crackers, but they can hear. Their ears are very sensitive and have a wider range of frequencies than humans. This noise can also end up damaging their hearing ability. Animals like cats are very sensitive to any kind of stimulus. 

Health Effects:

We all know that bursting crackers cause air pollution which contains harmful chemicals that harm the environment and living beings. Inhaling such air can cause various lung diseases. It can lead to the death of the birds and animals that are exposed to huge amounts of toxic air. Also, firecracker factories are famous for their lack of safety. 

Precautions: 

They never take proper precautions, and hence the harmful chemicals spread into the environment. If the factories are set up near agricultural land or near some water body, not only the place but animals can also be affected. These factories also dump many chemical wastes in such surroundings without proper treatment which causes various incidences of birds and animals killed by such chemical poisoning and still proper precautions are never taken.

To prevent such accidents, every year government runs program “cracker ban”. Whenever the government tries to ban crackers, people feel that they are trying to ruin the celebrations and thus, revolt. People need to know that these crackers are like a time bomb, every cracker we burst only turns the ticking of the bomb faster. We need to celebrate the festival without causing damage to the environment and animals. Thus, we celebrate the festival by have fun and not damage the environment or harm others at the same time.

Effects:

If we take it into consideration, we will realize that animals like dogs and birds are the ones who suffer the most. Animals and birds are effects direct or indirect victims, as they are affected by the pollution causes by firecrackers and in many cases, have to face direct injuries and burns due to the careless bursting of firecrackers by the people. Along with that, the loud noise of a firecracker bursting can also cause long-lasting hearing diseases and psychological problems, mainly faced by cats having severe post-traumatic conditions.

Firecrackers might be fun, but it is one-day happiness, while the pollution and the disease of the harmful disease, might be permanent. As responsible citizens, it is our duty to take care of the environment and all the organisms around it. It is essential for our own survival that we take precautions so as to neither harm the environment, nor the living beings that are a part of it. Let us all pledge together to celebrate a pollution-free Diwali this year.

‘Fun is temporary, Pollution is permanent’

Written By - Praveen Sharma

Edited By -  Khushi Prajapati