Children from different slums in Berhampur tried to make their parents and other slum dwellers aware of safe and pollution-free way of celebrating Diwali, through special festivities organised on Monday.
According to Pinky Das of the Children’s Federation, their main aim was to reduce risk of fire accidents in their locality and to lessen burden of buying fire crackers on the parents. Activists of Youth for Social Development also took part in the celebrations.
Ratneswar Sahu of the YSD said ‘burning’ of hard-earned money through crackers and fireworks can be reduced in the long run only if the children are made aware of their side effects. Children’s Federation members believed that now most of their children members will not press their poor parents to buy crackers and fireworks, which apart being a financial burden also cause air and noise pollution. Slums with makeshift thatched huts are too prone to fire accidents during Diwali.
Ahead of real Diwali, these slum children used rangolis, diyas and candles to bring in the spirit of the festival to their localities. Children drew up large rangolis at Ambapua Bauri street, Khodasing Puruna Sahi, Nua Bauri Street, Lanjipali Goudabandh street, Dhimira Bauri street, Raghupati Nagar canal street, Jagabandhu Huda Sahi and Gramdevati Bauri Sahi. These rangolis were decorated with diyas and candles. Children also participated in various games. “If we can enjoy without crackers, why not celebrate the Diwali in this manner,” said a child Banita Nayak.
Children drew paintings promoting pollution-free Diwali celebrations. They also wrote poems and small stories that would be part of their next edition of the wall magazine.