Diwali, Deepawali - the Festival of Lights

Article written by Phalgun Mantha, Ridge to Reefs Director of Agriculture and Sustainability

Celebrating Diwali

"Diwali or "Deepavali" is the ancient Festival of Lights celebrated in India and around the world by practicing Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, and some Buddhists. The Holiday of Diwali has a variety of stories and mythologies associated with it, with the common theme being the victory of the forces of light over the forces of darkness. Most significantly, this Holiday represents the victory of knowledge over ignorance.

Growing up in a Hindu household, Diwali was always one of my favorite holidays during which my parents would buy me new clothes, bring home an assortment of fireworks, and make lots of traditional Indian food and sweets which would be shared and eaten with as many friends, neighbors, and family members as possible. During my childhood, it was always the fireworks that got me and the other children the most excited for Diwali. Fireworks are an integral part of Diwali Celebrations and have been used for thousands of years to celebrate this "Festival of Lights".

Fireworks Cottage Industry

In this context, it is interesting to note the ongoing battle over the use of fireworks during the Festival in India and beyond. Many state governments in India, including in the capital city of Delhi, have banned the sale and use of fireworks during Diwali citing climate change, air quality, and pollution concerns. While at a glance, this move may seem logical, in reality it is a rather short sighted move that has angered many people. Critics of the ban and restrictions on the use of fireworks during Diwali point out that India accounts for 17 % of the global population and yet only generates 6% of global emissions. On the other hand, the United States, with only a population of 330 million accounts for 11% of global emissions, and China with a population similar to India accounts for almost 25% of global emissions.

Furthermore, fireworks are a massive cottage industry in India which support the livelihood of a great many often low income people. These bans and restrictions not only change the traditional nature of Diwali celebrations, they also serve to further marginalize traditional cottage industries which support the livelihoods of many families.

Given that this is the case, many people feel that it is rather disingenuous to blame Diwali for air pollution and criticize fireworks restrictions which have been rolled out under the guise of Environmental Protections. Given that Diwali represents the victory of knowledge over ignorance, this holiday should be used to shed light on the main contributor to atmospheric pollution in India, especially in the National Capital Region (NCR) of Delhi.

Agricultural Stubble Burning

Stubble Burning. Photo Credit: Akhilesh Kumar, via The Hindu.com Newspaper

The primary cause of poor air quality in this region is the practice of "stubble burning" in the agricultural breadbasket regions of Punjab and Haryana. Farmers in these regions close to Delhi engage in the practice of stubble burning to remove agricultural residues after crops are harvested. It is estimated that farmers in Northern India burn 23 million tonnes a year of paddy stubble. A recent study estimated that crop residue burning released 149.24 million tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2), over 9 million tonnes of carbon monoxide (CO), 0.25 million tonnes of oxides of sulphur (SOX), 1.28 million tonnes of particulate matter and 0.07 million tonnes of black carbon. These directly contribute to environmental pollution, human respiratory issues, and are also responsible for the haze in Delhi and the accelerated melting of Himalayan glaciers.

This Diwali, more light should be shed on the real elephant in the room- the practice of stubble burning. Viable solutions to address these issues should be highlighted and the light of knowledge and science should be used to elevate best practices.

Stubble Burning Solutions for Improved Soil Health & Productivity

Biochar - Thermal Power - Soil Amendments

Instead of burning stubble, Indian farmers should be encouraged and incentivized to remove and collect the biomass. This biomass can then be pyrolyzed and converted into biochar which can permanently sequester the carbon into the soil while improving soil fertility, agronomic productivity, and air quality.

In addition to biochar production, the collected agricultural stubble can also be used to generate briquettes for thermal power generation or even composted to create high quality soil amendments which can improve the farmer's soil health and agronomic productivity. All of these solutions would not only immediately reduce atmospheric pollution caused by stubble burning, they would also improve soil health and agronomic productivity on Indian farms.

Editorial Note: Ridge to Reefs respects the views and beliefs of all people. We value the thoughts of each individual on our team, and encourage respectful animated discussion on any subject. Statements reflected in staff articles may or may not reflect the position of the organization on policy issues. We fully support our staff and appreciate the richness of thought that comes from open discussion.