Why is that most of the Hindu festivals destroy our planet by causing pollution of different kinds?

08/11/2018 inquilabtimes 0 Comments Hindu, Supreme Court

Puneetchandra Sharrma

Note: All pictures have been taken from Google and for references please check the footnotes.

Important: Some pictures can be disturbing to children. Please take adequate precaution

Hindu festivals destroying the Planet ???

We don’t want that. So let us discuss threadbare, Hindu festivals along with ALL other festivals, step by step, and find out whether the above statement is true or false.

Let us find out, once and for all, which festivals are ACTUALLY destroying our Planet.

I’ll start with Hindu festivals before I move on to others

1. HINDU FESTIVALS

Makar Sankranti

Kite flying during the festival of Makar Sankranti results in injuries and death of birds.

I flew kites through my growing up years, on Makar Sankranti or otherwise, and never once was witness to a bird injury or death.

Diwali

Every year, without fail. you will see a huge hue and cry in the Media about the pollution caused by the firecrackers during Diwali. There will be discussions and statements about how bursting firecrackers are against Hindu traditions, which of course, are far from the truth.

THE INDIAN EXPRESS,Updated: October 26, 2017 12:12:37 pm

A brief and crackling history of fireworks in India:

“The use of fireworks in the celebration of Diwali, which is so common in India now, must have come into existence after about 1400 AD, when gunpowder came to be used in Indian warfare,” stated late historian P K Gode in his account, “History of Fireworks in India between 1400 and 1900,” published in 1950.”

One of the earliest notes of pyrotechnical shows in India is made by Abdur Razzaq, the ambassador of the Timurid Sultan Shahrukh to the court of the Vijayanagar king Devaraya II in 1443. Describing the events of the Mahanavami festival, Razzaq wrote, “One cannot without entering into great detail mention all the various kinds of pyrotechny and squibs and various other arrangements which were exhibited” [46]

As you see, fireworks during Diwali is not a new phenomenon, as one is made to believe. The main advice given is to celebrate a ‘traditional Diwali’, unknown to the fact that, according to the incident recorded in history, bursting fireworks doing Diwali, is actually more than a 700 year old tradition.

Then somebody will file a PIL in the Supreme Court, who will leave all important cases to adjudicate on the most important topic in the whole world: Pollution on Diwali.

There are numerous other Supreme Court Judgements regarding pollution caused by other sources on other festivals (mentioned in the end of this article), but there will be absolute silence over them, when those festivals arrive.

Holi

How can we forget Holi. According to some activists all the water in India is wasted on this half day of playing Holi.

For these environmental activists, NGOs and Media, the water that is wasted for watering golf-parks, in the swimming pools of five star hotels, water-parks, Stadiums, whole rivers polluted due to slaughterhouses’ waste, city drains, chemicals from factories etc. throughout the year, all pale in insignificance when compared to wastage caused by the water used during half day on Holi.

Of course, there will never be a squeak about other festivals that humongous amounts of water and even pollute rivers, ponds, underground water sources along with spreading massive diseases (discussed later).

Ganesh Chaturthi

Another festival which is the of special focus for all environmental activists and secularists who make a huge hue and cry regarding the pollution caused by the immersion of Ganesh idols. Funnily, there is eerie silence when it comes to Tazia immersions (discussed later) on Muharram and animal waste and blood disposal after Eid-al-Adha (discussed later). So much so, that the layman doesn’t even have the faintest idea about the pollution caused by these festivals as no media or environmental activists will dare discuss it publicly on any platform.

Although I agree we should try to use building materials which are eco-friendly, I want this discourse to include all other festivals that pollute rather than single out a specific Hindu festival for criticism.

Jallikattu

This article would be incomplete without mentioning Jallikattu, the festival of embracing the Bull by holding onto the hump. This was considered “Animal Cruelty” by the Supreme Court and Banned.

On the other hand, it is bewildering that slaughtering of millions of cattle on Eid al-Adha is not considered to be cruelty at all.

In fact, the same people who are hopping mad about cruelty to the Bull on Jallikattucan be seen enjoying Biryani of slaughtered cattle on another festival. What is the difference between the two festivals ? The word “Hindu”.

Now that we’ve discussed all the Hindu festivals that are so polluting and are cruel to animals, let us now discuss OTHER festivals:

2. EID AL-ADHA [BAKRID]

In this festival, more than [100 million] cattle, sheep, goat and camels are slaughtered worldwide just in 2 days.[1]And all these animals are specifically bred and raised ONLY to be slaughtered, with [active participation of children].

See: THE PIONEER, Dehradun, Tuesday, 7th October 2014[2] – Govt fails to stop slaughter of thousands of animals

Children as young as [five years old] were involved in the process of butchery and could be seen [handling sharp weapons].

See: WORLD ANIMAL NEWS, by Lauren Lewis, 22nd August 2017[3]

– More Than 100 Camels Rescued From Slaughter Prior To Bakrid Festival In India

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India does not classify camel as meat or as a meat-food-product. Therefore, there are no slaughter houses in India that are equipped to handle an animal the size of a camel.

As a result, camels throughout the country are savagely slaughtered [in the open], with inadequate equipment. Horrifically, after butchers take the meat, they often leave the camels to [die slow, painful deaths].

Halal (Dhabihah)

An Islamic ritual of killing animals for sacrifice or eating meat, wherein the name of their God must be called by the butcher upon slaughter of each halal animal separately, and it should consist of a swift, deep incision with a very sharp knife on the throat, severing the wind pipe, jugular veins and carotid arteries of both sides but leaving the spinal cord intact. The blood is then allowed to drain from the body and the animal suffers [extreme pain] before dying.

PETA calls halal slaughter “prolonged torment”, saying the animals “fight and gasp for their last breath, struggling to stand while the blood drains from their necks”.

[Link to a graphic video from a halal slaughterhouse on the PETA website: The Cruelty Behind Muslim Ritual Slaughter | PETA]

Although, Rule 3 of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Slaughterhouse Rules), 2001makes animal sacrifice illegal in public, in every part of the country, the law is broken with impunity. And any effort to remove the Halal way of killing to avoid extreme pain and suffering to an animal and introduce humane methods of slaughter is met with stiff resistance.

According to the 1989 Report ‘Slaughter House Waste and Dead Animals’,[4] (Ch. 5, p. 66) available on the Ministry of Housing and Animal Husbandry website, the following points regarding animal cruelty are mentioned:

The introduction of humane slaughter methods have proved unsuccessful due to certain religion constraints, whereas existence of powerful religious concern over cruelty to animals cannot be ignored.

The Government’s policies do not permit slaughtering of younger animals. Therefore, illegal slaughtering of calves is done in every city.

Greenhouse Gases

REARING CATTLE PRODUCES [MORE] GREENHOUSE GASES THAN DRIVING CARS, UN REPORT WARNS (29 NOV 2006)[20]

According to a report published by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, the livestock sector generates [more greenhouse gas emissions] as measured in CO2 equivalent – 18% – than transport. It is also a major source of [land] and [water degradation].

It generates [65 percent] of human-related nitrous oxide, which has [296 times] the Global Warming Potential (GWP) of CO2. Most of this comes from manure.

And it accounts for respectively [37 %] of all human-induced methane (23 times as warming as CO2), which is largely produced by the digestive system of ruminants, and 64 % of ammonia, which contributes [significantly] to [acid rain].

Loss of Arable Land & Deforestation

The report goes on: Livestock now use [30 % of the earth’s entire land surface], mostly permanent pasture but also including [33 % of the global arable land]used to producing [feed] for livestock, the report notes. As forests are cleared to create new pastures, [it is a major driver of deforestation], especially in Latin America where, for example, some [70% of former forests] in the Amazon have been turned over to grazing.

Desertification & Land Degradation

At the same time herds cause wide-scale land degradation, with about [20%] of pastures considered as degraded through overgrazing, compaction and erosion. This figure is [even higher

in the drylands] where [inappropriate policies] and [inadequate livestock management] contribute to [advancing desertification].

Water Pollution

The livestock business is among the [most damaging sectors] to the earth’s increasingly scarce water resources, contributing among other things to water pollution, eutrophication and the degeneration of coral reefs. The major polluting agents are animal wastes, antibiotics and hormones, chemicals from tanneries, fertilizers and the pesticides used to spray [feed crops]. Widespread overgrazing disturbs [water cycles], reducing replenishment of above and below ground water resources. Significant amounts of [water] are withdrawn for the production of feed.

Livestock are estimated to be the main inland source of [phosphorous and nitrogen contamination] of the South China Sea, contributing to biodiversity loss in marine ecosystems.

Meat and dairy animals now account for about 20% of all terrestrial animal biomass. Livestock’s presence in vast tracts of land and its demand for feed crops also contribute to biodiversity loss; [15 out of 24 important ecosystem services] are assessed as [in decline], with [livestock identified as a culprit].

*Report Link: [https://news.un.org/en/story/200…; http://www.fao.org/ag/againfo/th…; http://www.fao.org/newsroom/en/n…; https://www.downtoearth.org/envi…]

Animal Waste, Blood Disposal & Zoonotic Diseases

Zoonotic diseases kill by the millions and 61% of the 1,415 known pathogens are all zoonotic. Zoonosis can be caused by a range of disease pathogens including viruses, bacteria, fungi and parasites. Some of the deadly zoonotic diseases are,

Swine flu: Caused due to close contact with pigs.
Bird flu: Caused due to close contact to wild birds, domesticated birds such as chickens.
Chikungunya: Caused by ingestion, inhalation or skin contact of spores of cattle, sheep, goats, camels, horses, and pigs.
Ebola: Caused through body fluids, organs and ticks of camels, cattle, sheep, goats, horses and pigs.
Mad cow: Caused by eating infected meat
Tuberculosis: Caused due to milk, exhaled air, sputum, urine, faeces and pus from infected cattle, pigs, domestic cats and rodents.
Salmonella: Caused by eating raw and/or undercooked food made from cattle and poultry and unwashed vegetables contaminated with their faeces.
Anthrax: Caused by ingestion, inhalation or skin contact of spores of cattle, sheep, goats, camels, horses, and pigs
HIV/AIDS: This was a zoonotic disease transmitted to humans in the early part of the 20th century, though it has now evolved to a separate human-only disease.

In an article ‘13 Animal-to-Human Diseases Kill 2.2 Million People Each Year’ in the reputed health magazine Live Science, dated 6th July 2012, Jeanna Bryner writes:

Diseases that can be transmitted between animals and humans, such as bird flu and tuberculosis, can wreak havoc on the health of both organisms. Now researchers have found 13 so-called zoonosis are responsible for [2.2 million human deaths] every year.

The study, detailed this week in the report “Mapping of Poverty and Likely Zoonosis Hotspots,” shows the vast majority of these illnesses and deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries. For instance, Africa’s Ethiopia, Nigeria and Tanzania, along with [India], had the highest rates of associated illness and death.

She further reports:

About [60 %] of all human diseases and [75 %] of all emerging infectious diseases are zoonotic, according to the researchers. Most human infections with zoonosis come from livestock, including pigs, chickens, cattle, goats, sheep and camels.[22]

The animal blood, viscera disposed in such a way seeps into the ground water, pollutes lake, rivers and oceans. Report after report in Newspapers or by NGOs and even official government reports, cite the unsafe disposal of animal waste in India, during this festival or daily by slaughter houses, which lead to [environment pollution] &[epidemic risk].[23]

LIVE MINT, by Priyanka P Narain, Kanpur, First Published on Fri, Sep 26 2008 [24]

– Kanpur’s [tanneries] earn it title of the worst polluter of [Ganga].

The city in Uttar Pradesh is home to 400-odd tanneries that dumps 20-30 million litres of bilge, containing animal remains and arsenic, cadmium, mercury and chrome—noxious chemicals that kill the fish and give life to weeds that choke the river. It is also giving Kanpur a reputation as the worst polluter of the Ganga. “During monsoons, the sludge does not dry and is left on the banks of the Ganga. Now, it is sinking into our soil, our lands and our water,” said Sunil Nishad, a farmer in the Shekhpur village, only a few kilometres downstream from this treatment plant.

THE PIONEER, Dehradun, Tuesday, 7th October 2014[25]

– Govt fails to stop slaughter of thousands of animals

This, despite the HC banning slaughter anywhere except in licenced slaughterhouses. State machinery failed to prevent blatant violation of the law with thousands of buffaloes and goats being slaughtered illegally across the State on the occasion of Eid, said the authorised slaughterhouse inspector of the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) for Uttarakhand, Gauri Maulekhi.

She writes to the senior bureaucrats that at Inamullah building in Dehradun, where not a single shop is licensed to sell meat or slaughter animals under the Food Safety and Standards Act, a record number of animals were slaughtered on Monday. “About 700 buffaloes and 2,000 goats have been slaughtered while the police or the Food Safety officers could do nothing. Numerous cows were seen being taken into the Shalimar Hotel lane but no police officer checked the same for fear of life hence the fate of these animals is unknown. Children as young as [5 years old] were involved in the process of butchery and could be seen [handling sharp weapons].

CHILDREN TRAINED TO SLAUGHTER ANIMALS

THE HANS INDIA, by Ch Saibaba, Hyderabad, 9th Oct 2014[26]

– Animal carcass burnt on streets

Every year, after the Bakrid festivities, animal carcass can be seen lying around on roads raising a foul stench.

DECCAN CHRONICLE, by Aknisree Karthik, Bengaluru, 13th Sep 2016[27]

– Bengaluru: Measures to tackle indiscriminate disposal of animal waste on Bakrid

Every year after Bakrid festival, it is a common sight to find stray dogs dragging animal waste into the streets.

OKHLA TIMES, Okhla, 24th Sept 2016[28]

– Imam’s call falls on deaf ears of Shaheen Bagh residents

Over the years what has left residents worried is the dirtiness after Bakrid in the locality with slaughtered animals waste, including intestines and other parts, found rotting everywhere.

The issue took centre stage this Friday when an imam of a Shaheen Bagh mosque raised the issue of dirtiness in the area and spike in cases of vector-borne diseases leading to even deaths.

AMAR UJALA, by Yashpal Sharma, Chandigarh, updated Thu, 15 Jun 2017 [29]

– A village in our country, where animal waste and blood is found in drinking water [in Hindi]

Almost all water bodies used for human consumption in Village Tapkan in Mevat district of Haryana are being polluted due to the discharge of animal blood andwaste, especially the Kotla Jheel (Lake).

THE INDIAN EXPRESS, by PTI, New Delhi, Published on October 24, 2017 [30]

– The [National Green Tribunal] tells Delhi to ensure not to let blood and animal waste seep into the [Yamuna]

The National Green Tribunal Tuesday asked the Delhi government and the civic bodies to ensure that no animal waste and blood seeps into the river Yamuna due to cattle slaughter. “You can’t permit animal waste and blood in river Yamuna. You have to regulate it somehow. You can’t leave it like this. File a complete status report,” the bench, also comprising expert member B. S. Sajwan, said.

ANIMAL WASTE DUMPING

THE TIMES OF INDIA, by Vidita Chandra, Lucknow, 4th Sept 2017 [31]

– Not enough bins; animal scrap piles on day of qurbani

Lack of preparation to dispose of remains of animals after sacrifice on Eid-ul-Azha led to a lot of problems for residents in several parts of the city, on Saturday and Sunday. An estimated 5 lakh animals, including goats, buffaloes and calves were sacrificed across the city on the festival and to manage the trash produced, the LMC had pressed into service only eight bins with a capacity of two quintals each.

Slaughter of a small animal produces 5-7 kg waste, while in the case of buffalo, it is around 25 kg. To dump 44,000 quintals of dead animals’ organs and other non-edible parts, the corporation had provided bins with a capacity of only 8 quintals. As a result, at several dumping grounds, bags filled with animal remains were spotted lying in the open, causing trouble to residents in the vicinity.

“For the past two days, the entire street has been filled with unbearable stenchbecause people left big polybags filled with animal scraps at the dumping ground and now it’s impossible to pass through the stretch, or even open windows or switch on coolers,” said Geeta, a resident of Nawazganj.

OUTSIDE A DELHI SLAUGHTERHOUSE[21]

3. MUHARRAM

In this festival, Shias mourn the death of Hussain, the grandson of their prophet Muhammad, and his family in the Battle of Karbala.

Males and females, adults and children, congregate in public by lamenting, wailing and weeping loudly for a mourning display called ‘Matam’ by ceremonial chest beating(sineh-zani) or flog their bodies with chains, spikes or cut their bodies with daggers, knives and blades (zanjeer-zani, qama-zani). Even foreheads of infants are cut as a ritual and kids are made to walk on burning coals.

See: TIMES OF INDIA, by Rosy Sequeira, Mumbai, 25thNov 2014

HIGH COURT: Stop atrocities on kids during Muharram

The Bombay High Court on Monday told the state to try and stop atrocities on children, who are made to participate in self-flagellation during Muharram processions.

A division bench of Justices V M Kanade and Anuja Prabhudessai heard a PIL by Faisal Banarasiwalla and Abdul Qureshi “to save children and adults’’ from injuries by sharp weapons, blades, knives and swords in the name of matam (mourning) during the 40 days, from October 25 to December 14. The petition said during matam, “an infant’s forehead is cut with a sharp weapon”, and at some places, “they are made to walk on burning coals”.

In this festival of mourning, apart from lamenting and injuring themselves with sharp weapons, processions of Tazias(mausoleum replicas made of paper, wood, cloth, clay, bangles, mica, tin foil, glass, metal etc.)[41] are taken out. These are then (symbolical burial) immersed in water bodies, whether lakes, rivers or oceans.

TAZIAS

Given below are the news reports of Taziasbeing immersed in lakes, rivers, ponds and oceans. But there is never any mention of any pollution due to Tazias.

TIMES OF INDIA, Vadodara, TNN | Jan 9, 2009 [42]

– Tazia immersions pass off peacefully

About 152 tazias were installed in different parts of the city this year. Police personnel were seen manning areas like Wadi, Mandvi, Sayajigunj and Raopura from where the tazia processions pass every year. The immersions were over by about 11 pm.

TIMES OF INDIA, Vadodara, TNN | Nov 14, 2013 [43]

– Security beefed up for Tazia immersion

Sarasiya Lake will witness 142 Tazia immersions followed by Sursagar Lake and others that will see less than 10 immersions.

DAINIKBHASKAR, Gorakhpur | Last Modified – Oct 24, 2015 [44][translated from Hindi]

– 10th Muharram: Tazia taken from between the crowds of the reverent and buried in Karbala

On the Tenth of Muharram, Tazias were picked up on Saturday from Imam Chowk and the procession was taken out. The Tazias met in different areas. After Milan, the Tazias were buried in rivers or ponds.

THE HITAVADA, Staff Reporter, Bhopal | 29 Sep 2017 [45]

– Nodal officers identified for immersion sites for Durga Visarjan, Tazia

Zone numer 5 Ginnori ghat Tazia visarjan arrangements were done. In Zone number 2 Karbala Ghat also arrangements are being done for Tazia immersion.

4. THANKSGIVING

Millions of turkeys are bred and raised ONLYto be slaughtered for this festival, every year. According to Statistics of Global Farmed Animal Slaughter by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, based on reports from more than 210 countries and territories, [691 million turkeys] were slaughtered in 2003.[5]

According to PETA,[6]

Turkeys are packed together in cages and to keep them from killing each other, parts of their toes and beaks are cut off – without painkillers.

Turkeys are bred, drugged, and genetically manipulated to grow as large as possible as quickly as possible.

In 1970, the average turkey raised for meat weighed 17 pounds. Today, turkeys average 28 pounds. Because of this artificial manipulation, turkeys’ legs often break beneath them.

At 5 to 6 months old, turkeys are sent to the slaughterhouse. In the wild, they can live to be 10 years old.

When they get to the slaughterhouse, turkeys are hung upside down by their legs, which often break during the process.

Their heads are dunked into electrified water before their throats are slit. Then they are dunked in scalding-hot water to defeather them. Many turkeys aren’t stunned properly and are scalded to death.

CHICAGO TRIBUNE by Meredith Cohn and Tim Wheeler, Sunday, 24th Jun 2018[33]

-Thanksgiving dinner’s carbon footprint

Researchers at the University of Manchester in England figure that a turkey-n-trimmings feast for eight produces approximately 44 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions. About 60% of that planet-warming gas comes from the life cycle of the turkey, alone. But it was brought to my attention by the Washington-based Center for Food Safety, which wants Americans to lay off food produced by “industrial agriculture” for the sake of the planet, if not their health.

HUFFINGTON POST by Kristin Wartman, Updated 15th Jan 2012[34]

-The Truth about Turkey

Supporting a Big Turkey farm (or any factory farm) contributes to the devastation of our natural environment and imperils the safety of our food supply. According to the USDA, factory-farmed animals in the U.S. produce 61 million tons of waste each year — 130 times the volume of human waste. The Environmental Protection Agencyreports that hog, chicken, and cattle waste has polluted 35,000 miles of rivers in 22 states and contaminated groundwater in 17 states. Polluted runoff from factory farms and other industrial farms is the biggest water pollution problem in the U.S., according to the EPA.

Human health is impacted in other ways by factory farming. Just this past August, Cargill announced a recall of 185,000 pounds of ground turkey due to Salmonella contamination.

5. CHRISTMAS

According to the estimate of the Vice President of the Christmas Tree Growers Association of Western Europe, Mr David Hasslacher, the European market is about 50 million trees a year[35]. Great Britain consumes about 8 million trees annually, while in the United States and Canada, between 35 and 40 million trees are sold during the Christmas season.[36] That is about 100 million real trees cut every year for just Europe, UK and the North America. No stats are available for the rest of the world.

And the fake Christmas tree market made of plastic is growing by the day. In 2016, 18.6 million fake trees were sold in the US. [37] Most artificial Christmas trees are manufactured in the Pearl River Delta area in China.

This was done to avoid the greenhouse emissions, huge amounts of water usage and arable land that was dedicated solely for Christmas tree production. Although the natural resources used were considerably reduced, another problem has surfaced. Studies have now shown that plastic trees result in 13 times more greenhouse emissions than real trees.

An independent life-cycle assessment(LCA) study, conducted by a firm of experts Ellipsos Inc in sustainable development, states that a natural tree will generate 3.1 kg (6.8 lb) of greenhouse gases every year (based on purchasing 5 km (3.1 miles) from home) whereas the artificial tree will produce 48.3 kg (106 lb) over its lifetime.[38]

Moreover, the fake plastic trees have now been found to be dangerous and pose a grave health risk as they degrade.

A Chinese Factory making fake Christmas trees

A 2008 United States Environmental Protection Agency report found that as the PVC in artificial Christmas trees aged it began to degrade. The report determined that of the 50 million artificial trees in the United States approximately 20 million were 9 or more years old, the point where dangerous lead contamination levels are reached.[39]

India imports all its fake Christmas trees from China.[40] The lead paint used in the trees are a grave danger to children, not to speak of the PVC itself, which leaches dangerous chemicals as it degrades.

But there are no studies that have been done to ascertain and regulate this health risk as none are available in the public domain. Although plastic has been banned recently, it is not known if the ban extends to these fake trees or not.

6. NEW YEARS EVE

Today, almost every country in the world brings in the New Year with a huge display of fireworks. Just googling ‘Fireworks on New Year’s Eve’ will throw up about [3,77,00,000 results], all telling you about the special venues or exclusive ways of firework displays around the world.

Just the 1st search page of Google reveals the following results:

NEWS

1. New Year’s Eve 2018: Fireworks and more at Navy Pier | Navy Pier

2. Fireworks display – Schedule | Sydney New Year’s Eve

3. New Year’s Eve Fireworks In Philadelphia for 2018/2019 – Visit Philadelphia

4. All you need to know to enjoy Hobart’s New Year’s Eve fireworks shows to welcome 2018 –abc.net is up for sale at KoolBranding for Brandable Domain Names

5. New Year’s Eve fireworks tickets in London 2018 – Special Event

6. Where to See New Year’s Eve Fireworks in Los Angeles – Time Out

7. Light shows punctuated by fireworks on New Year’s Eve, Singapore

One can go to as many pages as they want, but there will be no mention of any pollution caused due to Fireworks. Now, replace the word ‘New Year’s Eve’ with ‘Diwali’ and google ‘Fireworks on Diwali’. The page displays about [3,14,00,000results].

The very 1st search Page of Google is extremely revealing. The 7th and 8th results on this page are:

7. Fear Of Toxic Smog Leads India To Limit Diwali Fireworks – NPR

8. Is Delhi’s Diwali firework ban an attack on Hinduism? – BBC News

The 2nd Page Search has to be seen to be believed.

1. India’s supreme court bans Diwali fireworks in Delhi to tackle pollution – The Guardian

2. What historical connection is there between firecrackers and Diwali – http://Quora.com

3. What Is Diwali? Fireworks Banned at Hindu Festival This Year – Newsweek

4. The Tradition of Fireworks at Diwali | Pitlane Magazine

5. Firecrackers ban in Delhi: Supreme Court bans fireworks on Diwali in Delhi-NCR region – Times of India

6. Is Bursting Firecrackers Really An Integral Part Of Diwali Tradition? – Scoopwhoop

7. Diwali 2017: India’s Supreme Court bans fireworks in Delhi – The Washington Post

8. Peacock Cracker: Crackers for Sale – Fireworks Online Shop – Buy Crackers Online – Online Crackers Shopping – Peacock Cracker

When it is New Year’s Eve, there is no pollution by fireworks for a million pages.

But just mention ‘Diwali’ and pollution becomes the biggest issue in the world. You keep turning the pages, but there is no mention of venues, exclusive displays, cruises or barges. There is just the repetition of the Supreme Court Ban (fact is that the ban was on ‘the sale of crackers’, not on ‘bursting them’) and pollution caused by fireworks on Diwali.

7. SUPREME COURT JUDGEMENTS

Every year, without fail, come Diwali and some Supreme Court judgement about fireworks during Diwali will always come about. Its like some special media Channels, NGOs, lawyers and environmentalists have a bodyclock that jangles them into hyperactive overdrive when the word Diwali enters their aural canals (ears).

Of course, there are many other Supreme Court and High Court Judgements regarding pollution, cruelty to animals, and atrocities on children etc. which are never publicized.

And we wonder, on [what criteria], a [particular] judgement is splashed across all media platforms while others are ignored?

Some other Articles of Constitution, Judgements and Laws that the all Media Platforms fail to mention in reference to other festivals:

1. Article 48 of the Constitution of Indiamandates the state to prohibit the slaughter of cows and calves and other milch and draught cattle.[47] – Eid Al-Adha

2. Article 51A (g) of the Constitution of India: It is the fundamental duty of every citizen of India to have compassion for all living creatures.[48] – Eid Al-Adha, Thanksgiving, Christmas

3. Article 41 (1) of the Constitution of India mandates punishment for cruelty to child.[49] – Muharram

=> High Court: Stop atrocities on kids during Muharram -Times of India, Rosy Sequeira | TNN | Updated: Nov 25, 2014 [50]

4. A loudspeaker or a public address system shall not be used at night (between 10.00 p.m. to 6.00 a.m.) except in closed premises for communication within, e.g. auditoria, conference rooms, community halls and banquet halls.[51] – All religious places and festivals

5. Order of the National Green Tribunal regarding slaughter of animals resulting in flowing of blood directly into river Yamuna, 20/12/2017 [52] – Eid Al-Adha

6. Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Slaughter House) Rules, Rule 3: Animals not to be slaughtered except in recognised or licensed houses[53] – Eid Al-Adha

=> Govt fails to stop slaughter of thousands of animals. This, despite the High Court banning slaughter anywhere except in licenced slaughterhouses – The Pioneer, Dehradun, Tuesday, 7th October, 2014[54]

7. Regulation 2.5, 1(a) of the Food Product Standards and Food Additives, Regulations, 2011: Slaughtering of any other species other than (i) Ovines, (ii) Caprines, (iii) Suillines, (iv) Bovines is not permissible.[55] – Eid Al-Adha

=> Madras High Court Bans Camel slaughter in Tamil Nadu -Times of India, A Subramani | TNN | Updated: Aug 18, 2016 [56]

8. The Indian Penal Code [Section 269]: Negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life.[57] – Eid Al-Adha

9. Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2015- (iii) Phasing out of manufacture and use of non- recyclable multilayered plastic [58] – Christmas

[CONCLUSION]

According to some enlightened, highly evolved Media Channels, Environmentalist Activists, NGOs, Lawyers etc. it is NOT the

air and water pollution,
water depletion,
desertification,
loss of arable land, cruelty to animals,
spread of diseases etc. that is killing our Planet.

The only ones responsible for World Destruction are: Hindu Festivals

[1] “Eid ul-Adha/ Traditions and practices”, Wikipedia, accessed October 18, 2013

[2] http://www.dailypioneer.com/stat…

[3] More Than 100 Camels Rescued From Slaughter Prior To Bakrid Festival In India – World Animal News

[4] http://mohua.gov.in/upload/uploa…

[5] STATISTICS: GLOBAL FARMED ANIMAL SLAUGHTER

[6] 22 Facts That Will Make You Pass on Turkey This Year | PETA

[7] Howells, Richard (1999). The Myth of the Titanic. Macmillan.

[8] Eliade, Myths, Dreams and Mysteries, 1967, pp. 23, 162.

[9] Sahih al-Bukhari 3887; Sahih Muslim 162 a; 164 a; Kitab al-Tabaqat al-Kabir by Ibn Sa’d, Vol 1, Part I, 56.1

[10] Sahih Muslim 828 b; Sunan Ibn Majah 5:1311 (Sahih, Darussalam)

[11] Sunan Abi Dawud 4002 (Sahih in chain, Al-Albani)

[12] Sunan an-Nasa’i 1632-1637 (Sahih); Al Hawi lil Fatawi by Imam Suyuti, Vol. 2, p. 264; Tabqat al-Shafi’iyya al-Kubra by Tāj al-Dīn al-Subkī, Vol 6, p. 266; Rasa’il of Ibn Abidin, Vol 2, p. 203; Nayl al-Awtar by Imam al-Shawkani, Vol 5, p. 101; Hayat ul-Anbiyah by Imam al-Bayhaqi, p.3; Musnad Abi Ya`la, Vol 6, #3425 (sahih); Silsilat al-ahadith al-sahihah by Al-Albani, Vol 2, p. 187, #621

[13] Sahih Muslim 2792

[14] Luke 1:26-38

[15] Different versions in: Mark 16:1-18; Mathew 28: 1-20; John 20:1-31; Acts 1:1-10

[16] Different versions in: Luke 24:50-51;

[17] Also in: 1 Corinthians 15:35–54; Mathew 22:29-33; Acts 24:21; 23:6; 24:15

[18] Revelation 19:15; Revelation 2:16

[19] Mathew 8:28-32; Mark 5:2-13 mentions the demons enter 2000 pigs.

[20] https://news.un.org/en/story/200…; http://www.fao.org/ag/againfo/th…; http://www.fao.org/newsroom/en/n…; https://www.downtoearth.org/envi…

[21] https://www.flickr.com/photos/co…

[22] https://www.livescience.com/2142…;

Also in: Animal-to-Human Diseases Kill 2.2 Million People Each Year – One Green Planet

[23] Order of the National Green Tribunal regarding slaughter of animals resulting in flowing of blood directly into river Yamuna, 20/12/2017; Order of the National Green Tribunal regarding blood of slaughtered animals flowing directly into the river Yamuna, 20/12/2017