It’s that time of the year again. The whole country reverberates to the joy of celebrations over a five-day period. There’s music, food, light and an air of prosperity all around! Yes, we’ll soon be celebrating Diwali, the festival of light that marks the victory of good over evil.

Celebrated with great joy and festivities in most parts of India, it is marked by the lighting of lamps, crackers, exchange of greetings and gifts, buying gold, decorating of home and sharing sweets with family and friends.

Along with all the above, the festival of Diwali has also become associated with firecrackers that cause injuries and leave people with burns, loss of eyesight, damage to the ears and to property if adequate care is not taken. Every year, there is a significant number of burns and other injuries that are reported during the festival.

Do’s and Don’ts

It is therefore important that each one of us who is celebrating with firecrackers follow a few Dos and Don’ts to ensure that Diwali ends as a happy festival for one and all. If you are a member of the Managing Committee of your residential complex, make sure you list down your Dos and Don’ts so that every resident is aware of what they should and should not do to make it a festival that everyone enjoys.

We provide a list of Dos and Don’ts that you can use as it as is or as a guideline for your apartment complex. You can download the Diwali Do’s and Dont’s poster, print it and post it in your society notice board as is or under your official letterhead.

NEVER	ALWAYS
Buy fire crackers from street vendors.	Buy fire crackers of a reputed brand from a well-known shop.
Carry or throw firecrackers for fun.	Handle fire crackers carefully. Read instructions before lighting a firecracker.
Have flammable materials like wood, electrical cables, fuel, lighted lamps etc. around where you store or light fireworks.	Store your fireworks in a safe area. Clear the area around before starting to light crackers.
Burst crackers in crowded areas.	Keep a couple of buckets of water handy for putting out fires. Remember, every major fire starts small.
Let your children burst crackers on their own.	Have an adult accompany children while bursting crackers.
Wear long, loose synthetic clothes while lighting crackers. The loose ends can catch fire.	Wear well-fitting cotton clothes.
Light crackers bare foot.	Wear shoes or slippers while bursting crackers.
Leave spent sparklers on the ground.	Put the spent sparklers in a bucket of water as soon as you’ve used them.
Ignore a burn injury.	Wash the affected area with plenty of cold water and seek medical help.
Ignore an eye burn	Wash the eye with plenty of water then rush the victim to the hospital.
Have a Happy and Safe Diwali.
Download this table in easy to print format

Designate areas to light fire crackers

Another important thing that is mandatory in a gated community is to light fire crackers only in designated areas. While, every one loves to light crackers in their balconies or just outside their flat, it is not preferred as it can lead to serious fire accidents. It is imperative that in a community, the managing committee designates areas where fire crackers can be lighted and for all the members to follow the same. Usual places where fire crackers cannot be burnt are balconies, staircases, lobbies, lawns. It is also important that fireworks are lighted only during desinated timings to avoid disturbing residents of your complex.

We offer here a template that your association can customize updating the designated timings, designated areas to light crackers and also update emergency contact numbers. You can share the notice with your residents, print the same on your society’s letter head and put it up in all notice boards. Download the Diwali Notice template to customize it for your complex.

With a little bit of care and caution, Diwali can be enjoyed by one and all. Take that few additional steps to make sure that the festival leaves only pleasant memories for all involved. We wish you a very happy and safe Diwali!