- 11 months ago
In this episode of Health 360, we discuss whether green crackers will help in curbing the level of air pollution across Delhi-NCR region. This comes after the Supreme Court ordered that bursting of firecrackers will be allowed only between 6 am and 7 am, and then from 8 pm to 10 pm. It also said the sale and bursting of the green crackers will be permitted in designated locations.
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00:00Hello and welcome to a brand new episode of Healthy 60.
00:03As you would have figured, this is our Diwali special.
00:07On the show this week, we'll tell you all about why Diwali Safai is linked to your mental health.
00:14Green crackers, the talk of the town.
00:16But are they going to help keep Delhi and national capitals there clean?
00:20We'll explore.
00:21Also exploring adulterated food items like Koya and Paneer and how you can identify them.
00:27Diwali Safai is meant to clear out the toxins from your house.
00:31We'll tell you how.
00:33We'll also tell you why Diwali Safai is therapeutic.
00:38That and much more up ahead on this show.
00:40A very happy Diwali to our viewers.
00:42Let's get started.
00:56The Supreme Court has finally allowed Delhi and NCR to burst fire crackers, albeit green ones.
01:12The permission has been given from the 18th to the 21st of October.
01:16Many are rejoicing, but many are arguing that this is not right and that green crackers aren't really the solution to Delhi and NCR's air pollution problem.
01:29We bring this report to give you an idea about green crackers and whether they will help in curbing pollution or not.
01:36This Diwali, Delhi will see something it hasn't seen in years.
01:40The burst of legal fireworks.
01:43But it's often touted as an eco-friendly option.
01:46Green crackers.
01:48But what are green crackers to begin with?
01:51These green crackers were developed by CSIR, NIRI, in 2018.
01:55And are marketed as emitting 30% to 40% less pollution than conventional fire crackers.
02:02According to NIRI, there are three main variants of these green crackers.
02:07Swass, which is safe water releaser.
02:10Stau, which is safe thermite cracker.
02:13And Suffol, which is safe minimal aluminium.
02:16These eliminate dangerous ingredients like potassium nitrate and sulfur.
02:20And do not contain barium nitrate, arsenic, or lead chemicals known to cause respiratory and neurological harm.
02:29Green crackers are at best good crackers or better crackers which emit less and create less pollutants.
02:38Less pollutant cannot mean zero emission or zero pollutant.
02:43Therefore, green crackers will have impact on pollution.
02:48However, that impact may be 30 or 40% less than a normal cracker that you normally use.
02:56Therefore, it's a myth to think that green crackers are zero emission crackers.
03:01As far as Delhi NCR is concerned, I think still people, general public should refrain from using too much of green crackers also.
03:10There will be oxides of carbon.
03:12There will be aluminium which is used.
03:15So, all these chemicals are there.
03:17So, even if you are using green crackers, the pollution levels are going to increase during the winter hours.
03:24Use it as less as possible.
03:26So that we can still control whatever pollution is being contributed even with the use of green crackers.
03:32On paper, green crackers are quieter and produce less visible smoke and ash.
03:38They are certified by NEVI and by PISO.
03:41And each pack is supposed to carry a QR code for verification.
03:44Even when you are asking authorities like the police, etc., to, you know, go and actually, you know, study this on the ground or you make a complaint, they can't tell green from regular crackers.
03:56Or even at the buying stage, you know, there are the fake QR codes, they are flooding the markets and all that has been said.
04:04This is all recorded in the courts and there is no system to even chemically verify what's being sold or what's being burst.
04:12So, a law that really, which cannot be enforced is just a license for violation.
04:19But does that really happen is the big question here.
04:22Will it ensure that Delhi doesn't choke again this Diwali?
04:25You know, when people are thinking and citizens are saying or even the government thinks that
04:29It is the firecrackers because firecrackers are already bursting.
04:37So, it's not about one night.
04:39Once now, they have permitted, they have no way the enforcement we know is so poor that the crackers will come in
04:47and it will eventually, you know, be a whole lot of confusion and we will see, you know, we're already seeing it.
04:54Greener, remember, doesn't mean clean.
04:58Even green crackers still release particulate matter, which is PM2.5 and PM10 and small amounts of gases as well.
05:06Now, in a city already battling high baseline pollution, any additional particles can make a big, big difference.
05:15Delhi's pollution in late October and November isn't caused by fireworks alone.
05:20Stubble burning, construction dust, vehicle emissions and industrial outputs.
05:25All of this add to a toxic baseline that Diwali fireworks can worsen.
05:32Long periods of moisture and a layer that is formed on top prevents the pollutants from going.
05:38So, the only solution is lesser and lesser emission to ensure that you get clean air.
05:44There is seasonality in this problem.
05:48I mean, you don't get it in summers so much, but you get it in winters when the moisture is more.
05:54I would personally say that we have not been as tough as we should have been.
06:00People have not been as cooperative and conscious as they should have been.
06:04Weather plays a crucial role.
06:06During winter months, temperature inversion traps pollutants close to the ground.
06:10And low wind speeds prevent the dispersion.
06:13That's why a single night of emissions can push the AQI to hazardous levels and keep it there for days together after Diwali.
06:22Pollution and fumes and smoke with green crackers will be almost reduced by 30 to 40%.
06:30So, green crackers are still hazardous.
06:34The only thing is the hazard level is reduced by 30 to 40%.
06:38Manufacturers, on the other hand, are arguing that shifting the entire fireworks industry to green formulations is very expensive and also time-consuming.
07:04Many small-scale units have not fully transitioned, creating a mixed market where both green and traditional crackers coexist.
07:13It is impossible to tell what the shopkeeper is selling.
07:20I mean, you could go to a shop, you will get green crackers, you will get other crackers also.
07:26So, what is being sold, you don't know.
07:29Even the enforcement agency is not very well equipped to distinguish that.
07:32This will need special efforts of enforcement, both in terms of enforcing time and also in terms of enforcing the quality of crackers that are worse.
07:44Public health experts have been warning that adding any more smoke to Delhi's already fragile air can increase hospital visits with respiratory problems.
07:53Children, the elderly and those with chronic lung or heart conditions are really vulnerable.
07:59Side effects or the hazardous effects of the pollution, air pollution especially, goes beyond the visible and are understanding.
08:08So, it will definitely cause problems in the upper respiratory tract.
08:12It will definitely cause problems in the lungs.
08:15But it also causes problems in the digestive system, in the urological system, in the kidney and bladder.
08:21And it causes problems for the fetus as well as the brain.
08:24Green crackers are a partial solution to Delhi NCR's air pollution problem.
08:31They do reduce emissions, but don't eliminate them.
08:34The real test is whether large-scale use across the city will still overwhelm Delhi's winter air.
08:41Medical specialists point out that even short-term spikes in PM2.5,
08:46a single night can trigger asthma attacks, worsen chronic conditions and increase hospital admissions.
08:53Long-term exposure is linked, as we know, to heart disease, stroke, certain cancers,
08:58impaired lung development in children and also reduced life expectancy.
09:02So, the problem is more complicated because of environmental factor.
09:07Because of certain circulation in the air, there is low pressure area because Delhi NCR is plain.
09:14These particles, which are released during this Diwali celebration and by use of green crackers or illegal crackers,
09:22these remain suspended for a week, two week, three week, four week and more complicated by the crop burning and the environmental factor.
09:30When smoke from fireworks mixes with existing pollutants in a temperature inversion setting,
09:35particles remain suspended near the surface.
09:39Cold, still mornings prevent dispersion.
09:41That's why Delhi's post-Diwali smog lasts for days together.
09:47We were already at the stage of ban and we were at the stage of a national, you know, endeavor now.
09:54Emission is everywhere.
09:55It's in vehicles, it's in, you know, thermal power plants, it's in waste-to-energy plants everywhere.
10:00But there are laws and there are compliances that you have to, you know, ensure that they are met.
10:08We are the most polluted capital on this planet.
10:12Can we afford to do more mistakes?
10:14The city, of course, as we've seen, is divided on whether this should be allowed or not.
10:18Green crackers.
10:19The Delhi government has, of course, been batting for its return.
10:23Experts say even green crackers add to Delhi's grey skies in these pollution months and that should not be forgotten.
10:32Did you know that Diwali cleaning is not just about cleaning out that cupboard that has been neglected for such a long time.
10:40It's not just about doing away with that layer of sick dust.
10:44It is about setting the right energies in your house.
10:49That much needed positive vibe, that energy reset, which is going to give you a sense of rejuvenation and a positive sense of belonging.
10:59And that's the reason why Diwali Safai is actually therapeutic.
11:04It helps you.
11:05It helps your mental health.
11:08You've heard that right.
11:09We explore and tell you how in this report.
11:16Diwali is synonymous with light and warmth, the spirit of giving and renewed energies.
11:21Well, it's also synonymous with tidying up the house and cleaning up, which is great for a cleanliness freak like me.
11:33Diwali cleaning is a therapeutic ritual for many due to its profound physiological, spiritual and communal benefits.
11:40The annual practice of decluttering and deep cleaning the home symbolizes renewal, creating a clean state for the Hindu new year.
11:49Newness is what?
11:54Newness is that we are letting the past go.
11:57Newness is we are giving closure to the previous situation.
12:01What is life?
12:02Life is a learning every day.
12:04Life is an experience of every day.
12:06So if we are not allowing the previous experiences after we have gone through them to bid goodbye to them,
12:14we are not allowing the new experiences to come in.
12:16So that is why cleaning and removing the blockade help us to introduce new beginning for us.
12:26When we send the object away, when we understand this process that he asked,
12:33you know what, that I need to let this object go because this is not only reminding me of the boot time.
12:40This is also not helping me to move forward.
12:43So we have to send the clutter out and we have to clean ourselves.
12:50We have to detoxicate our mind, our body and our heart and keep the good memories and connection with the person who's gone or the situations which have changed so that we can start with new beginning.
13:03So if the previous things won't go away, how are we going to create space for the newness to come in?
13:11Because the newness and the new time is running out and you are stopping yourself from feeling that newness with cluttering.
13:19So cleaning helps in newness.
13:22A cluttered, messy environment can be a source of constant low-level stress.
13:30By cleaning and organizing, you create order in your surroundings which can induce a sense of control and calm.
13:39A tidy home clears out your mental clutter,
13:42essentially making more space for greater focus and greater concentration.
13:48So when you have so many things around you, how are you going to work?
13:56They are distractions.
13:57And then don't forget, everything, all the objects, what we have around us, most of the time, they are made out of chemicals.
14:04So they give out acids, they give out chemicals, we smell them, we smell that aura, we are refusing to breathe in fresh air,
14:14it impacts our fresh air, breathing in fresh air, it impacts our brain and we are distracted towards it.
14:21So it's not a good way to work in an environment which has cluttered around us.
14:28It's better we make a good organized environment to work because that will help us to pay attention more and focus more on what we are doing.
14:39So the best way of getting in a great energy reset is by discarding stuff which is expired, which is dead.
14:51All the stagnant energy needs to go out of the house during Diwali and that's why cleaning becomes all that important.
14:57So throwing away stuff which is broken, not needed or expired, not very good for you at this point in time
15:06is something that should really find its way into the task form.
15:10What is life? Life is in chapters.
15:13You, when you are not cleaning or you are not removing the clutter, whether inside you or outside you,
15:19you are stuck in one chapter of life.
15:22But life is what? Life comes in chapters.
15:25One chapter ends, another begins.
15:27So when we reset, we are giving closure to the previous chapter and we are opening up the new chapter.
15:34We write our own book.
15:37We write our own story.
15:38Don't forget that.
15:39So we start writing our own story and the new chapters.
15:42So we are resetting.
15:43According to Hindu tradition, the goddess of wealth, Lakshmi, visits lean and well-maintained homes during Diwali.
15:54The act of cleaning is an invitation for her blessings of prosperity and good fortune.
16:00So ensure you've done the needful like I have and make way for goddess Lakshmi.
16:05Scented candles, plastic wares and Teflon coated fans.
16:13These are things found in homes, isn't it?
16:15And it's very, very common.
16:17But do you know that they leach chemicals and make you very sick?
16:21So this time around when you're doing a Diwali supply, just don't clean that cupboard.
16:26Ensure that you are throwing out all these hidden toxins from your home.
16:31As families across the country prepare for Diwali with light, sweets and deep cleaning,
16:44it might also be the perfect time to remove more than just dust.
16:48From plastic dabbas like these to chemicals found in your everyday beauty products.
16:57Things like these certainly need to go out.
17:00They're silently damaging your health in ways you wouldn't have imagined.
17:08This Diwali is the hour's light of homes and incense fills the air.
17:13Many are embracing the age-old tradition of deep cleaning.
17:16But beneath the surface of sparkle lies a modern concern.
17:21Chemical toxins hidden in plain sight.
17:26Doctors and wellness experts say now is the time to rethink what stays in your home and what should go.
17:33Sometimes food is hot and we put in that plastic.
17:39It releases very bad chemicals.
17:41And these chemicals, they are now part of our food chain.
17:45And we consume that food mixed with fumes of plastic.
17:49Sometimes we wrap our food items like chapati in plastic foils.
17:54And they are hot.
17:55And then they releases chemicals by that reaction, which is very harmful for our daily routine.
18:02So we should say no, no, a big no to the plastic things.
18:09Here's what you should be tossing out.
18:11Old food containers, water bottles and even toys made with BPA
18:15are phthalates that can leach hormone-destructing chemicals into food and hands,
18:21especially when heated or scratched.
18:24The non-stick pans that are coated with teflon are a strict no and they need to go away this tiwali.
18:33Remember, teflon is something which is now being seen as harmful to health.
18:38What really happens is that when the teflon gets scratches and when the pan is not new like this one,
18:43it needs to go.
18:45It releases chemicals called PFAs, which are forever chemicals,
18:48known to cause endocrine disruption, also related to cancer and other thyroid issues.
18:55So pans like these with teflon coating that has been ruined need to be discarded.
19:01Whenever we are using unknowingly plastic with the hot food items,
19:06at that time it releases some chemicals.
19:09For male, it causes less sperm production.
19:13So we should not use plastic in any form,
19:17even not for marketing, not for packing the food items.
19:21It is very harmful for reproductive organs.
19:23This may look harmless to you, but it isn't.
19:31When that food which we consume after wrapping in the aluminum foil,
19:37it releases various chemicals.
19:39These aluminum-based chemicals are as harmful as in low-dose pesticides.
19:44The effects are gut, our intestine, and in long term,
19:50it causes various gastro-related problems and even gastro-related cancers.
19:56The other thing presumed to be harmless is this reused oil.
20:02We are reusing, reusing that oil.
20:05And when we reuse, so it gives a bad kind of fat.
20:11And that bad kind of fat is not good for our health.
20:15And sometimes we unknowingly, we throw it in the wash basin.
20:21And throwing reused cooking oil is hazardous to our environment.
20:26Synthetic air fresheners and scented candles like these
20:29actually give you a sense of a festive spirit.
20:32They smell great.
20:33But do you know that the scented candles contain parabens and other chemicals
20:37which are known to be causing disruptions in your endocrine system,
20:41causing you health problems.
20:42And that's the reason why you should be avoiding these scented candles.
20:46Make sure that if they are scented, they are chemical and paraben-free.
20:51These fancy things or these scent-based candles,
20:55what they do when somebody takes that fume?
20:58So, after continuous exposure, the hormonal level disrupts,
21:04especially to the females.
21:06And when their hormonal level disrupts,
21:09they produce more estrogen.
21:11In male, there is disturbance of testosterone.
21:14And it directly affects the reproductive health for young females and young males.
21:20So, we should avoid them.
21:23Personal and beauty products with parabens must go home during Diwali.
21:28And the home is the dustbin.
21:33This Diwali don't just clear out the clutter,
21:35clear out the chemicals.
21:37Because a truly bright home is one that protects your health from the inside out.
21:58What are you really eating?
21:59Isn't that really poisoning you?
22:02Well, the adulteration of khoya and paneer is actually most common during Diwali.
22:07Well, other food also gets adulterated.
22:09But khoya and paneer are actually the most common victims during Diwali.
22:14And hence, we picked up khoya and paneer from the market
22:18and try to figure out on how we can help you go about,
22:22learn on how to figure by yourself
22:25if that food item, khoya and paneer that you bought from the market
22:29is fake or not.
22:31It's actually very simple.
22:33We'll figure it out in this report.
22:35As households gear up to make festive sweets,
22:48the demand for paneer and khoya soars,
22:51making these dairy products prime targets for adulteration.
22:55In recent raids across several cities,
22:58large quantities of tainted paneer,
23:00milk cake and khoya have been seized and destroyed ahead of Diwali.
23:05Mixing in non-dairy substitutes or chemicals,
23:10including milk powder, palm oil, starches or detergents,
23:14to cut costs or increase volume
23:16is the most common type of adulteration seen in these products.
23:23In some unregulated units,
23:26workers prepare dairy products in unhygienic conditions.
23:28With contaminated water and outdated milk,
23:31increasing the risk of bacterial infections like E. coli
23:34and salmonella.
23:37Experts warm their poor storage and lack of refrigeration
23:40further worsened contamination,
23:42allowing harmful microbes to multiply rapidly.
23:45So we decided to give you the consumer an opportunity,
23:50a chance to see if your khoya and your paneer are adulterated or not.
23:56You can check it by yourself and it's not too complicated.
23:59All that you require is this iodine,
24:02which you can pick from any chemist shop.
24:04If you think that your source of khoya and paneer are adulterated,
24:07this is what you should be doing.
24:09Take a piece of paneer and put some iodine on it.
24:17The trick is that if it turns black,
24:20you know for sure that your khoya or your paneer is adulterated.
24:25Look at this.
24:26This is completely black.
24:29This is turned black.
24:30I'm going to give you an example by showing you something
24:33which I know is not adulterated.
24:37But why not give this a try?
24:40This is another piece of paneer
24:42and I put some iodine on it once again.
24:45It doesn't turn black.
24:50Take a look at this.
24:51The difference is for you to see.
24:54This is adulterated.
24:56It's turned completely black.
24:58This has not turned black.
25:00This is just taking the color of iodine.
25:03A similar experiment can be done with khoya as well.
25:06Again, a lot of adulterated khoya has been found in the market.
25:09Remember, it leads to consuming adulterated products like these.
25:13Leads to digestive problems.
25:15Long-term consumption of these products
25:18can also in fact lead to kidney damage.
25:22And this is something that doctors are reporting on.
25:25Khoya again.
25:26I'm mixing it with iodine.
25:29Take a look at it.
25:31Doesn't turn black.
25:33Which means this khoya also is not adulterated.
25:37But this paneer,
25:38look at the black layer that has come over it.
25:41This is what you should be extremely careful about.
25:46These are very common items during Diwali,
25:47like we've been telling you.
25:49Very popular items.
25:50And that's how you can check
25:51whether your khoya and your paneer are adulterated.
25:56It has long-term impact on your health.
25:59Short-term impact would be some digestive problems.
26:02But if you consume it for a long time,
26:04it could actually make you very sick.
26:06Doctors say prolonged consumption of such adulterated food
26:11can lead to liver and kidney complications.
26:18Children and the elderly are particularly vulnerable
26:20as the immune systems struggle to fight
26:23the toxic compounds present in fake dairy.
26:26Hospitals often see a spike in food poisoning cases
26:28during and after the festive season.
26:31Medical practitioners urge citizens
26:33not to ignore early symptoms
26:35like nausea, stomach cramps,
26:37vomiting or a metallic taste
26:39after consuming sweets.
26:40Well, that brings us to the end
26:44of this edition of Healthy 60.
26:45We hope you enjoyed watching the show
26:47as much as we did,
26:48putting it together for you.
26:50All these reports can be found
26:51on India Today's website.
26:53That's indiatoday.in.
26:55Also on all of India Today's social media platforms.
26:58That's YouTube, Twitter or Facebook
27:00and of course Instagram.
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27:05Do not forget to like, subscribe and share.
27:08Until next time, take very good pair of yourself
27:11from the entire team of India Today
27:13for wishing you a very happy Diwali.
27:16Take care.
27:17Bye for now.
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