Feed back received from Andhashraddha Nirmoolan Samiti (ANS) activists indicate that there has been tremendous response from school going children from all over Maharashtra to say NO emphatically to crackers during Diwali festival this year. In fact ANS has initiated this movement of environmental protection right from 2006. ANS activists have taken this activity with missionary zeal.
Just prior to Diwali days ANS activists visit the school in their local areas. They will stress upon the importance of environmental protection and pollution free atmosphere through lectures, demonstrations and exhibitions. As a tradition the crackers are being used in large scale to celebrate the festivities all over India and particularly in Maharashtra. The fired crackers ooze out toxic material in the atmosphere. These will also enhance the noise pollution sometimes reaching 100+ decibels. This is certainly harmful to old people, patients and toddlers. Besides the pollution, the crackers are fire hazards injuring eyes and body parts of the children if due care is not taken.
Considering ill effects, ANS is fighting against this age old tradition of celebrating the festival. The activists stress upon the school children not to purchase the crackers at all and save the money for some other good purpose. Activists advise students to insist their parents not to waist money on this futile pleasure. The students take pledge and indicate how much money they can save by not using crackers.
A table showing the branchwise savings from school going students is as under:
| Report of Campaign on Crackers-Free Diwali Festival, 2016 | ||||
| (Rs in lakhs) |
||||
| District | Branch | Schools | Students | Savings |
| Akola | Akola | 21 | 5000 | 20 |
| Amaravati | Amaravati | 3 | 1200 | 2.4 |
| Aurangabad | Kannada | 4 | 1900 | 193 |
| Beed | Kej | 3 | 1200 | 1.2 |
| Beed | 5 | 1500 | 3 | |
| Chandrapur | Varora | 1 | 100 | 0.1 |
| Dhule | Dhule | 10 | 1720 | 0.9 |
| Nimgul | 2 | 300 | 0.7 | |
| Jalana | Dhansavangi | 5 | 400 | 0.2 |
| Jalana | 22 | 13500 | 3.2 | |
| Jalgaon | Amlaner | 1 | 300 | 0.6 |
| Jalgaon dist | 64 | 39000 | 64 | |
| Jamner | 8 | 1500 | 0.8 | |
| Dharangaon | 1 | 1400 | 1.4 | |
| Kolhapur | Kolhapur | 50 | 12000 | 110 |
| Latur | Latur | 5 | 1500 | 1.5 |
| Latur | Chakur | 200 | 40000 | 250 |
| Mumbai | Goregaon | 3 | 490 | 1 |
| Mumbai | Dadar | 6 | 1750 | 17.5 |
| Nagar | Akole | 5 | 6000 | 3 |
| Nagar | 2 | 900 | 0.9 | |
| Kanhur Pathar | 1 | 1200 | 0.6 | |
| Shevgaon | 5 | 3500 | 3.5 | |
| Jamkhed | 1 | 360 | 0.7 | |
| Nagpur | Karadi | 3 | 1000 | 0.85 |
| Nanded | Nanded | 5 | 2250 | 22.5 |
| Nandurbar | Shahada | 22 | 37000 | 25 |
| Nashik | Kalavan | 4 | 4000 | 8 |
| Nashik Rd | 1 | 2500 | 5 | |
| Yevala | 7 | 1400 | 1.4 | |
| Palaghar | Palaghar | 40 | 32000 | 47 |
| Mokhada | 4 | 440 | 0.66 | |
| Parabhani | Poorna | 150 | 38000 | 40 |
| Parabhani | 120 | 20000 | 20 | |
| Jintur | 78 | 15000 | 15 | |
| Pune | Chinchawad | 17 | 31000 | 60 |
| Pune | 150 | 180000 | 500 | |
| Bhor | 13 | 2500 | 18 | |
| Raigad | Alibaug | 11 | 1800 | 0.36 |
| Khopoli | 7 | 2200 | 2.25 | |
| Tala | 5 | 2500 | 25 | |
| Dighade | 4 | 725 | 7.8 | |
| Nagothane | 6 | 1450 | 0.33 | |
| Panvel | 17 | 3700 | 14.75 | |
| Pali | 2 | 1000 | 1 | |
| Ratnagiri | Dapoli | 1 | 70 | 0.14 |
| Pachal | 10 | 5000 | 5 | |
| Sakharapada | 3 | 250 | 0.5 | |
| Sangali | Islampur | 18 | 8100 | 21.7 |
| Shirala | 2 | 550 | 0.5 | |
| Satara | Satara | 11 | 3130 | 6.9 |
| Solapur | Karmala | 3 | 2730 | 0.53 |
| Barshi | 5 | 3000 | 1.5 | |
| Thane | Ambarnath | 3 | 1470 | 14.7 |
| Thane | 11 | 6000 | 6 | |
| Dombivali | 14 | 2400 | 12.5 | |
| Bhivandi | 5 | 2000 | 1.25 | |
| Kasare | 7 | 3500 | 4.1 | |
| Usmanabad | Umaraga | 2 | 250 | 0.12 |
| Kalamb | 7 | 5000 | 0.25 | |
| Kaladev Nimbala | 2 | 250 | 0.12 | |
| Usmanabad | 5 | 2000 | 2 | |
| Vardha | Vardha | 5 | 900 | 0.9 |
| Yavatmal | Pandhar Kavada | 18 | 1260 | 2.5 |
| Yavatmal | 4 | 750 | 0.25 | |
| Total | 1230 | 565795 | 1576.56 | |
| (Rs in lakhs) | ||||
The activists had visited more than 1200 schools, contacted 5.65 lakh students which resulted into approx 16 crore Rs worth of savings by not purchasing the crackers. ANS also requested the local trading communities not to use fire crackers to celebrate Diwali. There was good response from these communities too.
Let us hope the use of crackers will be completely stopped in the near future and public will realize its ill effects.