22nd October 2016

- Meri News

Dont buy Chinese crackers: Your health is more important...

In India, people are angry with China because of its tacit support to Pakistan. The communist nation also blocked Indias proposal at the UN to declare Jaish-e-Mohammad chief, Masood Azhar as a global terrorist. Apart from this, it also stayed Indias entry into NSG. Point is, China is behaving like an enemy to India. Thats why many people are demanding boycott of Chinese products. Chinas almost one sided trade with India is around 70 billion dollars. As Chinese products are very cheap thus they are doing a good business in the Indian market. Despite the passionate boycott calls, Chinese products are being sold in the Indian market uninterruptedly. Recently, a Chinese media report stated, "Indians are lazy and corrupt, thus despite their boycott call, Chinese products will be sold as usual."

The Indian government cant ban Chinese products officially being the part of a WTO treaty. Then, as most of the boycotting brigade identified itself as rightist groups, Chinese products are identified as non-communal.

Okay, let me not enter in to politics, nor I will demand ban on Chinese products. However, I will request all not to purchase Chinese crackers this Deepawali because of the following reasons. Please dont consider my request as a political or ideological. My request is based on scientific reasons.
Potassium Chloride is one of the important raw materials in Chinese crackers. Potassium Chloride has already been banned by the government of India and many other countries including the entire Europe and America for its long term damaging effect on the environment. After explosion Potassium Chloride produces a by-product (per-chlorate) which is poisonous.

It first contaminates the soil for a long time. Then it percolates in to ground water table and contaminates it also. That means the farm products from the contaminated soil and the ground water pumped out for drinking purpose will have an adverse impact on the people-s health.

Experts are of the opinion that out the total water availability on the planet Earth, fresh water is around 3%. Out of this, ground water percentage is around 1.69. In such a scenario, can we afford to contaminate our scarce fresh water source?

The government of India banned crackers having potassium chloride. But the Chinese crackers are mostly sold by agents in the streets and people purchase from them in a bid to save some money.

The second reason for not using Chinese crackers is the sound it generates. An average Chinese cracker produces sound of around 140 decibel. Human ear can withstand a maximum of 110 decibel sound. Thats why when a Chinese cracker explodes near us (near means, a distance at which no bodily harm is possible), we become deaf for some time. If somehow, such crackers fall on anyone accidentally, apart from the injury the person can became deaf for life.

We also need to realise that many domestic animals are living with us. Their ears are also very sensitive and such a high decibel sound is very uncomfortable for them. Sometimes, people tie crackers with the tail of street dogs. I dont know how people can prefer such a beastly joy at the cost of innocent animals.

Indian crackers are generally made from less harmful materials and their maximum sound is 80 decibel. Thus even if you want to use crackers, then do use India made crackers as they are not so harmful like Chinese crackers.