Crackers now - and not now!

It is six in the morning of Friday 12 November 2004. I received her usual 'good morning' as I brought in the morning traditional tumbler of coffee. Saying 'good morning' has become a tradition since last Gudi Padwa end March 2004, when my mother suffered a micro-stroke affecting her speech center. The manner of saying Good morning several times in quick succession is a kind of therapy that gives excercise to the tongue and the mind. She has improved quite a bit since, but it surely was sweet music to my ears to hear her say "aaj kheer karayacha aahe" to which I asked why, and she bounced back saying "aaj Bali Padwa aahe naa?". Add to this, the Jain derasar 'next door', with whom traditionally I have noise related problems, were having - as tradition demands - the morning welcome shehanai - most surprisingly without a loudspeaker; it was past 6 AM as we know. This too was great pleasure. Surely this was a continuation of the panoramic colourful fireworks display on Marine Drive from Chowpatty side at about nine forty-five at night.

I could manage an outing only as late as that and rushed in order to not miss the 10 pm deadline for bursting of crackers as per the announcement by the Commissioner of Police Mr. Anami N Roy in the morning papers. The view was fascinating as I do not recall sky being so less smoky on a Laxmi Pujan night and also so less noisy. I felt that at last there seemed to be some effect of Ms Sumaira Abdulali's initiative in measuring decibel levels and air pollution generated by crackers earlier in the week and the seminar "Towards noise free Mumbai" she had organised mid October. Even the CP had issued directive consequent to her report and perhaps my email stating that majority of people would comply if the Police issued directives of dos and especially don'ts. He even went to the extent of saying that Police petrol will keep vigil.

It was great, the general improvement of air quality, less noise, spectacular view of colourful petals descending and vanishing before the next lot came on and a semblance of bursting of cracker up in the sky. And the morning episodes with my mother and the Derasar shehanai.

Unbelievable, but for the reality that surfaced after the deadline hour of 10 PM. It looked like the noisy 'bombs' were reserved for post deadline session, as though there was a conspiracy between the cracker bursters and the noise monitoring agency, that is the Police - that there would be no Police patrolling after 10 PM seemed true as I saw only one petrol car go by on Babulnath Road at 11:45 PM while crackers were bursting all over and no action. As the noise levels increased with the approach of midnight, a small group of domestics began bursting noisy bombs right on my cross lane at 11:30 PM. They would have gone ahead beyond the three bombs they exploded had I not had an argument with them. They simply said that I constantly make noise about noise, that this time I was crossing the limit as the whole city was making noise. If I was to stop the others then they too would comply. Fortunately they complied because I appealed their sensibility rather than talk legal. I still have to explain to them the ill effects of noise - I suppose will do so after tempers have cooled. I still have to understand why CP had not made his mobile petrol visible.

I heard of a story at Dharavi where some one complained of bursting of noisy cracker late night and Police arresting the 'culprit' as the complainant added another dimension - that of attempted molestation. There was a hangama I understand and notes exchanged hands - perhaps for bail, perhaps not!

Come Saturday 13 November, the Nutan Varsha and I thought there would be a repeat performance of Friday night - all quiet, relatively speaking, till 10 PM; but then there was a difference. The cracker sound did increase but considerably low on the whole. Only after reading the papers on Monday 15 November 2004 did I know that the CP took action - more than 700 people bursting crackers after 10 PM were rounded up and the action publicised. There seems to be some will now to act - but was it not a bit late! No, it is never too late - the next year is always there to improve upon.

There is an instance that the CP should know - people have been unsuccessfully trying to reach Police on 100 and 103 - but when one complainant did reach the Police on the phone, he was curtly told to go to Pakistan if he could not tolerate bursting of crackers two nights of Diwali. This means the Police have not organised themselves after the seminar "Towards Noise Free Mumbai" held on 19 October this year, to sensitize the Police force on the one hand and on the other hand, I wonder what happened to the 'call centre' friendly police stations concept?

There is plenty to learn from this. Firstly, standardize crackers by the level of noise they generate. Secondly, the duration of noise it generates and thirdly, whether it is to burst at what altitude from the launch and what decibel it touches at ground level, or even at 5th floor level.

Similarly, what level of pollutants it creates and at what altitude it does that. Whether the pollutants are heavier than air etc. so that at human habitation level, what sort of pollution should be avoided.

Raid shops selling crackers  and if banned ones are found, seal the shop for the period of the festival. Similarly raid factories and seal them if they are known to be manufacturing such crackers.

Petrol streets and if people are found to be bursting crackers of levels and duration which are banned, arrest them under EP Act and let them be in the Jail for the festival period at least.

Ensure that the shopkeepers do not gift banned crackers to Police personnel, as I understand they do. If Police personnel are found to be in possession of such items, they too should be punished. The culture of giving gifts for festivals must be banned - perhaps they are.

Can we expect self discipline on the part of Police Force when they have a "Cine Kalakar Rajni" going till midnight at Brabourne Stadium?

Start teaching that enjoyment at certain noise levels is acceptable; anything that is harmful to self and others must not be indulged in. Urban areas in India, and more so the metropolis of Mumbai are very dense population wise and even a very small fraction of the population indulges in such activities, the quantum of ill effect become enormous. Hence there must be some strict control. Lastly, Police must not only give positive directions but must be seen to be proactive and practicing it themselves.

All this will hopefully lead to the cleared air, less noise and pleasant shehanais.

Happy Diwali and now Eid

Sudhir Badami

 
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