It is common knowledge that after Deepavali every year, many get admitted to hospitals owing to fireworks-related injuries, but did you know that among the injured, onlookers and clueless passers-by outnumber those who actually burst crackers?
It is common knowledge that after Deepavali every year, many get admitted to hospitals owing to fireworks-related injuries, but did you know that among the injured, onlookers and clueless passers-by outnumber those who actually burst crackers?
Records of Minto Regional Institute of Ophthalmology, also known as Minto Eye Hospital, Chamarajpet, establish just that. In 2009, 51 people were admitted to the hospital after Deepavali, of which 29 were onlookers or passers-by. In 2010, 47 people came to the hospital with fireworks-related injuries, of which about 75% were onlookers.
Medical superintendent of the hospital, Dr Shivaprasad Reddy, said the reason motorists get injured is because they are unaware that a cracker is lit near them. Another reason, he said, was that many people ignite a rocket by keeping on the ground, which endangers passers-by as well as those living nearby.
He cited an incident that occurred in 2008 when a woman was hit by a rocket on her head while she was watching TV in her house. Her neighbour had lit the rocket, which injured her face and eyes, he said. Another big reason behind injuries, he said, is the habit of children where they collect the explosive powder from unlit crackers and roll it in a paper to make their own cracker. He said this misadventure was the cause behind at least 10 injuries treated in their hospital last year.
Exercise caution
Dr Reddy said the parents should not leave their children unattended when they are bursting crackers. Also, he said the public should refrain from lighting crackers on roads or public places and restrict this activity to open grounds. In case of an accident, the injured should immediately be shifted to a nearby hospital.
Dr P Rahika of Dr Agarwal Hospital said people should buy crackers only from licensed shops and should store them safely, in a closed box away from fire. Further, she said one should read the instructions on the label carefully before lighting the crackers. The crackers should be burst at least 30 foot away from vehicles and should not be very loud. She advised that people should wear cotton clothes while bursting crackers.
Vice-chancellor of Visvesvaraya Technological University H Maheshappa said considering that global warming is a major threat, we should be mindful of the impact of our actions on the environment and be circumspect when it comes to celebrating by bursting crackers.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}