Delhi encourages schoolkids to celebrate cracker-free Diwali

​New Delhi: Ahead of Diwali, Delhi's Directorate of Education has asked the schools to sensitise the students on the ill-effects of burning firecrackers and encourage them to make the festival pollution-free.

The Directorate has issued a circular to encourage the students to keep the environment neat and clean and also pollution free, an official from the Directorate told IANS. It not only aimed at motivating the students to 'Say No to Fire Crackers' but also to encourage them to celebrate a pollution-free Diwali by lighting candles and earthen lamps.

"The festive season of Diwali is marked by heavy use of firecrackers which release toxic pollutants like sulphur dioxide, carbon monoxide and many others which pollute the air and cause serious ailments like asthma, bronchitis, hypertension and cardiovascular problems," reads the circular issued by Additional Director (Education) Saroj Sain. The air and noise pollution caused by the firecrackers also affects the lives of animals, birds and other living beings, it said.