In a letter addressed to the Chief Minister, the trust has requested the Government to take a very serious cognizance regarding the same. Human rights activist and lawyer Asim Sarode from the trust says that the present laws are insufficient. The trust has been campaigning against the use of noisy and pollutant fire-crackers for the last nine years.

'The police are not taking cognizance of air or noise pollution complaints. They use the provisions of the Bombay Police Act and not using the Environmental acts provisions because collecting evidences and filing case using this act is not easy,''says Sarode. It is high time that a law is in place for the same, he adds.

The trust members in their letter have also said that it is inappropriate to burst crackers when the death toll of poor farmers are rising. "In this background this kind of celebration is inhuman,'' they have said. The trust is working hard to change the notions of expressions of joy, victory or happiness.

"With poisonous fumes let out in the air, this will only hamper the environmental balance. The problem of global warming is on the rise and so are the environmental hazards and the day is not far when there would be deaths registered because of global warming. These issues need to be kept in mind and mere addressing the issue of global warming separately will not do,'' Sarode says. He points out that the fire cracker industries still employ children who die because of the nature of their hazardous work. This is exploitation, he adds. A new legislation to ban manufacture, production, sale and use of fireworks, is a must, he says.

Rotary camp
To highlight on the ill-effects of burning crackers, Rotary Club of Pune Camp in association with Centre for Youth Development Activities organised a camp to educate children of the age group 5-15 years on the hazards of bursting crackers. Information on how toxic gases harm the lungs of human beings and birds, child labour in fire cracker industries, etc. were shared to the children who listened enthusiastically.

They all pledged by leaving mark of their palms as testimony. The event was commemorated by organising quiz contests, drawing competitions and story-telling. Former Mayor of Pune Vandana Chavan spoke on the occasion and rewarded the winner.