Delhi recently put a ban on the fire-crackers. While it’s a good way to control the pollution, it is once again a demonstration of innovative thinking that governments should do. It seems like our Government rates citizens at the lowest grade of importance for them (specially this ever-ignored middle class). All their decision making seems to come from an autocratic decree approach and people are just expected to ‘live with it’. This sort of unimaginative thinking used to be more prevalent in Islamic ruled countries earlier but is not gaining much higher traction in India.
Lets first ask ourselves a question: What is Diwali and what is a fire-cracker. A fire-cracker is nothing more than a light, sound and laser show. A show that can certainly be put together without fire-crackers. It needs innovative thinking, it needs someone to say ‘I care for people and their priorities and I will ensure we create a balance’.
We should be creating community light, laser and sound shows at important strategic locations in Delhi (India gate, Central park CP, Japanese garden Rohini and various other places that host Ramlila or other big events all through the year). It can be a ticketed or non-ticketed or sponsored event depending on the model.
What this does is simply provide an alternative to all those who think Diwali is incomplete without this. You could embellish the show with some fire-crackers as well.
Do this right and you may have a ready model for the entire country.
I have a more detailed plan for this if some brand, NGO, government or any other organization wants to partner. I am willing to do this for money or as a social cause depending on what your intentions are. For someone looking for a business opportunity, I can make this into a very profitable venture in 2 years.
Of course, while we talk about ban on fire-cracker, my problem is with the timing of it. Who is going to pay-back those businesses that had spend huge amounts not knowing government will ban it in the last 2 weeks. Also, the pollution level in India before Diwali is already at alarming level, from the seasonal crop burning which hasn’t been banned anyway.
Wish the government starts taking more interest in what people think is important in their lives (specially this ever-ignored middle class) and not be that rigid parent who only drives their kid to study and study and eventually the kid revolts and quits school. J
