Even as Delhi grapples with the problem of abysmal air quality, one community is taking an initiative to ensure that things don’t worsen because of them. A committee that runs all gurdwaras in the national capital will reportedly be telling community members to avoid the use of fireworks on the occasion of an upcoming festival.
A Times of India report quoted the head the Delhi’s gurdwara management committee saying that they have decided not to use any fireworks for the celebration of Gurpurab on November 14.
Gurpurab, which falls on November 14, marks the birth anniversary of the Sikh guru Guru Nanak Dev, the founder of the Sikh religion. It is the biggest festival for the Sikh community.
All 700 Singh Sabhas in the city will be informed of this decision which will be passed down to every gurdwara in Delhi, president of the organisation Manjeet Singh GK told the newspaper.
Singh said they were hoping to get more people to celebrate festivals in a eco-friendly manner and despite the fact that the order on the use of fireworks wouldn’t be enforced, he hoped it would be followed.
Delhi’s air quality is said to have hit a 17-year-low and various factors are being cited for this ranging from vehicular pollution to crop burning in neighbouring states like Punjab and Haryana.