Hyderabad: “Keep calm and say no to crackers”; “celebrate Diwali as the festival of lights rather than smoke and sound”.

Watch out if you feel like lighting those red 'ladi' string bombs and other smoke-emanating fireworks at Diwali. They may seem exciting, but are a host of illness triggers.

On Sunday, there was a slight respite from the deadly smog that had gripped the city on Saturday.

The Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB) has urged people to curb bursting of crackers this Diwali.

One may complain of noise pollution caused by crackers on the night of Diwali but the fact is that noise generated by bursting of crackers is within permitted limits.

State government’s Environment Department is considering a move to lower the permissible level of sound emitted by firecrackers.

According to experts, the number of patients suffering from asthma and other respiratory disorders like COPD and allergic rhinitis shows a sharp upward trend during Diwali

SURAT: At least 10,000 children will celebrate a cracker-free Diwali this year in Surat largely due to the efforts of students of environmental engineering department of Dr S & S S Ghandhy Gove

With Diwali round the corner, fire crackers in the city have started arriving in new avatars.