Keri: Diwali, the festival of lights, was once celebrated in Goa with eco-friendly practices. Over time, the use of modern materials and louder, more polluting activities has increased air, water, and noise pollution across the state.Half a century ago, only a few places in Goa made effigies of the demon king, Narakasur. These were traditionally built with bamboo frames and filled with seasonally available grass, then burnt in the early hours of Narak Chaturdashi.In recent years, Narakasur effigies in many parts of Goa are increasingly being made using plastic, thermocol, and other non-biodegradable materials. Sanjeev Khandelwal, founder of Sensible Earth, said that burning plastic-wrapped effigies releases toxic fumes and adds to air, water, and noise pollution, creating serious health risks for participants, their families, and nearby residents.Earlier, burning grass-filled bamboo effigies also helped reduce moths, insects, and pests harmful to stored food grains. In Goa’s agro-horticultural society, Diwali was traditionally a thanksgiving to the earth for a good harvest, marked by lighting earthen lamps made by local potters, using cotton wicks and oil extracted from wild seeds.Goa also has a tradition of preparing sweet, sour, pungent, and spicy dishes from flattened rice and serving them on banana leaves.Suryakant Gaonkar of the Vivekanand Environment Awareness Brigade said that, along with plastic-wrapped effigies, the use of plastic or thermocol akash kandils is increasing non-biodegradable waste. He urged that festivals be celebrated in ways that protect the environment and support sustainable living by avoiding solid-waste generation and reducing harm to wildlife and people from noise, air, and water pollution.
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