Schools urge students to avoid firecrackers to curb air pollution
Educational institutions in Calcutta are educating children and parents on the environmental and health impacts of bursting crackers.
Several schools in Calcutta have begun educating students and issuing circulars to parents regarding the harmful effects of firecrackers, according to a report by Telegraph India.
IEM Public School Salt Lake recently sent a circular to parents and started discussions with students this week about environmental concerns. The school noted that smoke from crackers can cause breathing difficulties and irritate the eyes, nose, and skin, particularly affecting children, senior citizens, and pets.
Principal-director of IEM Public School Salt Lake, John Bagul, said the school spoke to children about how climate change and events like the Nepal floods are interconnected. Bagul stated that while their efforts might be a drop in the ocean, he would not step back from teaching children what is right.
State home secretary Sanghamitra Ghosh said that only green crackers are permitted during the restricted window of 8pm to 10pm on Diwali. Meanwhile, Julien Day Schools has advised students in Calcutta, Ganganagar, Kalyani, and Howrah to focus on human connections and family gatherings instead of noisy celebrations.
Terence John, director of education and development at Julien Day Schools, said the school told children that Diwali should be about meeting others rather than causing pollution. He added that students were encouraged to use the festival to resolve differences with relatives.
At Sri Sri Academy, principal Gargi Banerjee noted that schools are also teaching children to be sensitive to animals. Banerjee said that children with pets often desist from bursting crackers, but such sensitivity must be reiterated continuously.