Protect your garden from crackers

New DelhiDiwali is just couple of days away and you would be all set to celebrate it with lot of jest and fire, quite literally. Admittedly, the use of crackers have come down over the years during Diwali due sustained efforts of various agencies. However, there are no dearth of people who still feel that without blowing crackers, there Diwali would be incomplete. If you have a garden in your house, then spare a thought for the plants that give you immeasurable amount of joy to you post Diwali night. The very thought is scary.
Are you planning to protect your garden from the ear-splitting crackers that would emit dust and pollution ? Not only it would prove too much for you, it damage your plants and soil too of your garden unless you make some measures.
According to Dr.J.P.S.Dabas of Indian Institute of Agricultural Research, “ After crackers burst in the air, they emit very toxic gases in the atmosphere that is extremely damaging to the health of all living beings, including plants,” adding “ Unless you do not make prior arrangements to protect your dear garden, plants health take a beating.”
A Gurgaon based CA Rajan Dhawan narrated his own experience of last year when garden of his house badly suffered due to gases emitted on Diwali night. “ It was utter shock for me when I found almost all the plants of my garden was covered with dust of crackers. As that was not enough, many plants never recovered the attack of toxic gases. I am really frightened what would be the state of my garden post this Diwali as I have seen many plants of flowers never able to emerge due to Diwali attack.”

Dr.Dabas says that while the smoke from fireworks consists mainly of fine toxic dusts that can easily enter the lungs, it also badly damage all kinds of plants. Smoke from fireworks combustion may contain a mixture of sulfur-coal compounds, traces of heavy metals, and other toxic chemicals or gases. The combustion cloud can contain harmful fumes such as ozone, sulfur dioxide and nitric oxide.
Experts also say that fireworks fallout contaminate water supplies. As plants require clean water to blossom, contaminated water play havoc with plants. In the absence of clean water supply, they could not blossom.
What are the safeguards that one can take to protect house garden ? Dr. Dabas says that the first and foremost measure one ought to take is to avoid cracker bursting and also impress your neighbours to do so. If you and your neighbours do not celebrate Diwali with crackers, it would go a long way in giving clean and pollution free atmosphere. “ Naturally, if crackers do not emit deadly gases, then your plants and garden remain cool and nice,” says Dr.Dabas.
Alimuddin Rafi Ahmed,CMD of leading realty group of NCR,ILD, informs that they see to it the residents of their apartments burst crackers in flower pots instead of on the grass as the deadly residue damage the grass as well as the soil. “ Our efforts are yielding results and we save our garden to very great extent. We also put lot of water on plants of our gardens on the next day of Diwali in order to remove the dust that settle down on plants,” informs Alimuddin Rafi Ahmed.
Now the gardens are all the more in a very scary position as many fireworks are imported from China which is dangerous because they have a proven track record of cutting corners by using cheaper, more toxic materials. Avoid Chinese made fireworks because of their pattern of using banned or more toxic chemicals without regard for the safety of the rest of the world. Will you think of saving you as well as your garden from deadly Diwali ?
While it is not at all possible to ensure that your garden remain unaffected and unpolluted post Diwali, but you can always make little effort.