The dark underbelly of Diwali

The season of lights and cheers is always the favorite in India. This is one festival where everyone has a good time.

Not to be a party pooper, but Diwali also has a dark underbelly. The whole fireworks industry in India is concentrated in a tiny town called Sivakasi in Tamilnadu. The working condition of the folks who make the fire crackers is pitiable. Child labor is rampant.

Every government wants to abolish child labor. But here is a living example of shame and we happily promote it.

The 2nd ugly fact is the number of accidents adults and kids have during Diwali. This year more than 100 kids in Bangalore either lost their eyes or were badly blinded. I expect this to run into maybe 1000s across India.

No one stops to consider the social or (long term) economic cost of this. 1000 kids - who can't do things because they lost their eyes and now have to depend on others for survival.

Whose fault is this?

You may say that they should have been careful. But this is when it gets even more ugly. Most accidents happened to children who were just passers by when a cracker or a rocket from nowhere and hit them in the face.

Some one makes a crude rocket. Someone lights it in unsafe manner and a kid loses her eyes. I can't begin to imagine how the family must be feeling.

But all this gets buried in the horrendous apathy. We are numb to it. And when the event happens to be the most popular across the country and there's a lot of commercial interest involved, the news gets buried inside and we move on.

Is there a solution? Yes. And we know it. But its not urgent for us, and nobody is screaming for it. So, its yet another happy Diwali for us.

What was my contribution? I am ashamed to say that like some of you, I too enjoyed the fireworks.