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It is virtually impossible to imagine Diwali without the glitter of the lamps, the ritual of the offerings and the noise of the crackers. I am sure most of us are equipped with the information of how poisonous these crackers are to the environment and to our health but have we considered the fact that every time we burn those explosive we’re burning a life too? Bidhal, 11, of Ammapatti village rolls 2,300 paper pipes a day at home for a fireworks manufacturing unit, and earns a daily wage of Rs.20. He has never been to school. A factory vehicle picks him up at 6.30 a.m. and drops him
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back at 7 p.m. One of the many kids employed to please satiate your pyromania. Their school is this Biohazard. They handle dangerous chemicals for a minimum of 12 hours a day in poorly ventilated rooms and are glued in a bonedeforming seat. As a result of the below average conditions their eye sight and respiratory system suffer, loss of appetite and consequent malnutrition and growth retardation are also part of their reality. These conditions are made more hazardous by absent fire safety measures, longer hours and no respite and due to piece rate payment. The factory owners have agents
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stationed in the village to recruit children as laborers. It is common practice to give parents advances against work by their children. This not only helps the child-labor market to flourish, but also motivates parents to have more children, pushing them further into the depths of poverty and deprivation. It is unbelievable but true that such transactions take place even against babies in their mother’s wombs! The children in a way are rendered bonded laborers even before they are born! These are just a few details. The amount of suffering is incomprehensible. Earlier Diwali was an excuse, but
now anything as grand as a wedding or as irrelevant as a ball across the boundary is incomplete without the bang of a cracker. The greater the demand the more the life lost. Simple Economics… Reports are issued and circulated every year both by international human rights organizations and domestic organizations. Considerable time resources and energy are devoted to this enterprise. Information is painstakingly collected and checked, the appropriate legal prohibitions cited, and the report is edited and packaged. Many people devote their lives and even risk their personal safety to
produce all this information. Is it met with a sense of outrage that galvanizes social action or a tired yawn of recognition at seeing more of the same old stuff? I agree it is the same “old stuff” but it’s a pity if we let it still remain so. A lot of them are dying; in fact it isn’t even that peaceful, they are in coma due to the nitrites and on dialysis due to the cadmium in these crackers. Imagine your kid in their place. Grant them a life. Stop buying and burning crackers. Find another amusement!!
- Aahana Dhar
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The opinions expressed in DU Beat are solely those of the writer. They in no sense reflect views of the staff,,Advisors or Management of Du Beat. DU Beat is not responsible for any damage caused towards any person, object through its publication. Reproduction in whole or part is prohibited without the written consent of the publisher. RNI Regn NO. DELENG/2007/21984. Owned, Printed and Published by: Kriti Gupta. Office: D-74 Panchsheel Enclave, New Delhi 110 017. Printed at: Ajanta Printers, WZ-26, Tihar Village, Subhash Nagar, New Delhi 110 018
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s t l u s e r r u p n a IIT K DRAMSOC 1st- “Macwho?”, Venky 2nd- “Khamosh, Adalat Jari
Hai”, IIT Kanpur 3rd- “Par Humein Khelna Hai”, Ramjas
Western Dance 1st- IIT Kanpur 2nd- Lady Shri Ram College
Western Music 1st- LSR 2nd- Kirori mal 3rd- Venky/College of Vocational studies
Indian Music
1st- Kirori Mal 2nd- IIT Delhi 3rd- Lady Shri Ram College
IIT Kanpur trivia: It is said that whichever band performs in IIT Kanpur becomes famous. Last year they had Poets of the fall, a Finnish band that has gained widespread popularity and this year an Irish band called Glyder.
BITS Pilani results DRAMSOC 1st- Hindu College
Western Dance 1st- BITS Goa 2nd- Kamala Nehru College
BITS, Pilani trivia:
Fash - P
1st- Kamala Nehru College 2nd- DCAC
Choreo
1st- Hansraj
Every year, when the participating colleges return to Delhi, most of them voice the same opinion: BITS Pilani is biased. Now this is not only a case of sour grapes, but time after time most participants feel that the competition is futile because the results are biased. This could also be the reason why most colleges chose to go to IIT Kanpur over BITS Pilani this year.