Deepavali celebrated with zeal in Tamil Nadu

People in Chennai on Tuesday celebrated the festival of light- Deepavali - by organising firework displays, participating in celebratory events and offering prayers at temples.

In southern India, scores of people believe that on this day, Lord Krishna killed the demon named Narakasura after a tough battle. Hence the festival is also celebrated as the victory of good over evil.

The devotees also believe that after Lord Krishna trounced the demon, he had an oil massage, followed by a hot water bath. Therefore, in emulation of Krishna, people begin their morning by taking an oil bath before the sunrise, burn firecrackers, exchange sweets and don new clothes.

Taking cognisance of the impact firecrackers have on the quality of air during the festive season, the Supreme Court had fixed time slots for bursting crackers.

The Tamil Nadu government allowed fireworks between 6 am-7 am and 7 pm-8 pm. The government had urged people to burst only those crackers, which have low decibels and pollution level. Residents were also asked not to set off bangers near hospitals and places of worship.

However, the government's ruling has left many residents in dismay.

"Such time slots should only be implied to states like Delhi. In Tamil Nadu, Hindus are not confined to any single areas and are spread in distant regions. So by bursting handful of crackers won't affect the quality of air," a woman told ANI.

The Tamil Nadu's Environmental Information System(ENVIS) Centre had rolled out an action plan to curb rising air pollution.

In its dossier, the organisation stated, "The industries have been directed to develop a green belt of minimum 33 per cent of the project area. Greenbelt is also being developed by industries on roadsides as avenue plantations. No new polluting units are permitted within the city. No new incinerators are permitted within the city, old incinerators being phased out. Common facilities are set up outside the city for incineration of Bio-medical Waste.