...Be mindful yourself too

Know how Diwali can turn disastrous, and how to celebrate safely

- SREYA DEB

THE LIGHTS, FIREWORKS and celebrations of Diwali while thrilling, can often turn risky if enough caution is not maintained.

Last year, the national capital alone recorded over 700 fire incidents during Diwali and the Delhi Fire Department its highest number of emergency calls in a decade.

Risk from crackers

Dr Sanjay Mehta, director, accident & emergency, and consultant, internal medicine, Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital, Mumbai, says, "Prevention is key during celebrations. Safety measures include wearing cotton clothing to reduce the risk of burns, lighting crackers only in open and ventilated areas, and ensuring children are supervised at all times." Dr Mehta adds that immediate first aid plays a critical role, like cold water over minor burns within the first 10 minutes can minimise tissue injury. "Having a basic first-aid kit, burn ointments, and buckets of water or sand nearby is strongly recommended." Although government regulations exist on green crackers as well as permissible sound limits, they are seldom observed in celebrations. Dr Mehta recalls a vast number of Diwali accidents which could serve as cautionary cases.