Diwali’s dark side

IT is the same story every year. The festival that celebrates light, purity and goodness ends up exposing the darkness of human greed and civic neglect. From air thick with smoke to sweets and paneer laced with adulterants, Diwali has become a test of public health and official will. This year again, ahead of the festivities, raids across the NCR, Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh have uncovered hundreds of kilograms of fake or adulterated paneer and khoya — made from non-dairy fat, starch and chemicals. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has warned that over 80 per cent of sampled dairy products in some regions were substandard. Yet, this annual farce repeats itself because regulation remains seasonal and punishment rare.

Equally disturbing is the disregard for air quality. Despite court orders for green Diwali, and awareness drives, the nights of celebration continue to leave the skies choked. Noise pollution, firecracker debris and smog add to the already hazardous post-harvest stubble burning season, pushing pollution indices off the charts. For asthmatics, children and the elderly — and even animals — Diwali has long ceased to be a festival of joy.

Businessmen, consumers and authorities all share the blame. We buy cheap sweets without checking their source. We light up the skies without caring for the air we breathe. The tragedy is our predictability. Every year, adulterated food units are sealed and pollution warnings issued, but nothing changes. Both enforcement and conscience go into hibernation once the smoke clears. Diwali, the festival of lights, should be a reminder of cleansing — of spirit and of society. That calls for year-round inspection of food units, real deterrents for offenders and citizen responsibility in curbing pollution. Until then, the glow of diyas will continue to flicker behind a curtain of smog — and our mithai will remain suspect.

Editorials