Madhya Pradesh: Self-help group presents greener alternative to firecrackers

In a bid to stop air pollution through the emission pollutants from firecrackers, the group came up with the idea to encourage people to celebrate Diwali in an eco-friendly way. The firecracker imitations do emit smoke or cause loud noise causing sound pollution. These imitations made from paper are filled with seeds of various crops and vegetables, encouraging people to plant them later.

Chhindwara (Madhya Pradesh): Diwali celebrations in India is synonymous with loud explosions of firecracker bombs and crackling smaller fireworks. Over the years and with heightened air pollution, uncontrolled use of firecrackers has led to an exponential rise in toxic particles in the air. It is at this juncture a group of self-employed women at Paradsinga village in Chhindwara in Madhya Pradesh came up with a novel idea. The rural womenfolk have been making imitations of firecrackers and sweets on the occasion of Diwali.

In a bid to stop air pollution through the emission of pollutants from firecrackers, the group came up with the idea to encourage people to celebrate Diwali in an eco-friendly way. The firecracker imitations do emit smoke or cause loud noise causing sound pollution. These imitations made from paper are filled with seeds of various crops and vegetables, encouraging people to plant them later. One cannot light these crackers but would have to sow them in the soil, water it, and watch it grow into a plant.

Different varieties of crackers are made by filling 22 types of seeds.

Nutan, a member of a youth group campaigning to save the environment, said ''everyone loves to watch and burst firecrackers on every happy occasion. But our happiness cause distress to the environment and animals. So, which we made such firecrackers so that children and people could enjoy them by watching the firecrackers and then by planting the seeds, they could taste their fruits after a few months by planting them in their fields or houses."

The group spent weeks teaching the women in Paradsinga village how to make cracker look-alikes from waste paper with seeds filled in them.

“Not only crackers, but we are also making Rakhis and wedding cards for the upcoming festivals next year. Around 100 women of the village have taken up the work and have made crackers laced with microgreens, chakkars with onion seeds, bombs with seeds and more,” Nutan said.

All firecracker imitations are made from paper. For sustainable development, most items are made handmade.

The names of all vegetable seeds are labelled on the firecracker imitations.