An Independent Student Newspaper

FREEDOM OF

EXPRESSION

PAGE

PAGE

Y URBEAT Your O

pinions

It is virtually impossible to imagine Diwali without the glitter of the lamps, the ritual of the offerings and the noise of the crackers. I am sure most of us are equipped with the information of how poisonous these crackers are to the environment and to our health but have we considered the fact that every time we burn those explosive were burning a life too?Bidhal, 11, of Ammapatti village rolls 2,300 paper pipes a day at home for a fireworks manufacturing unit, and earns a daily wage of Rs.20.He has never been to school. A factory vehicle picks him up at 6.30 a.m. and drops him

back at 7 p.m. One of the many kids employed to please satiate your pyromania. Their school is this Biohazard. They handle dangerous chemicals for a minimum of 12 hours a day in poorly ventilated rooms and are glued in a bone-deforming seat. As a result of the below average conditions their eye sight and respiratory system suffer, loss of appetite and consequent malnutrition and growth retardation are also part of their reality. These conditions are made more hazardous by absent fire safety measures, longer hours and no respite and due to piece rate payment. The factory owners have agents

stationed in the village to recruit children as laborers. It is common practice to give parents advances against work by their children. This not only helps the child-labor market to flourish, but also motivates parents to have more children, pushing them further into the depths of poverty and deprivation. It is unbelievable but true that such transactions take place even against babies in their mothers wombs! The children in a way are rendered bonded laborers even before they are born!These are just a few details. The amount of suffering is incomprehensible. Earlier Diwali was an excuse, but

now anything as grand as a wedding or as irrelevant as a ball across the boundary is incomplete without the bang of a cracker. The greater the demand the more the life lost. Simple EconomicsReports are issued and circulated every year both by international human rights organizations and domestic organizations. Considerable time resources and energy are devoted to this enterprise. Information is painstakingly collected and checked, the appropriate legal prohibitions cited, and the report is edited and packaged. Many people devote their lives and even risk their personal safety to

produce all this information. Is it met with a sense of outrage that galvanizes social action or a tired yawn of recognition at seeing more of the same old stuff? I agree it is the same old stuff but its a pity if we let it still remain so. A lot of them are dying; in fact it isnt even that peaceful, they are in coma due to the nitrites and on dialysis due to the cadmium in these crackers. Imagine your kid in their place. Grant them a life. Stop buying and burning crackers.

Find another amusement!!

- Aahana Dhar

festival of

lights

or

festival of

frights?

The opinions expressed in DU Beat are solely those of the writer. They in no sense reflect views of the staff,,Advisors or Management of Du Beat. DU Beat is not responsible for any damage caused towards any person, object through its publication. Reproduction in whole or part is prohibited without the written consent of the publisher.RNI Regn NO. DELENG/2007/21984. Owned, Printed and Published by: Kriti Gupta. Office: D-74 Panchsheel Enclave, New Delhi 110 017. Printed at: Ajanta Printers, WZ-26, Tihar Village, Subhash Nagar, New Delhi 110 018

PAGE

FASHIONBeaT

If you see anything oddly bizzare or uber sexy, just snap and mail it to us

at fashion@

dubeat.com

PAGE

PAGE

IIT Kanpur results

1st- Macwho?, Venky2nd- Khamosh, Adalat Jari Hai, IIT Kanpur3rd- Par Humein Khelna Hai, Ramjas

DRAMSOC

1st- IIT Kanpur2nd- Lady Shri Ram College

Western Dance

1st- LSR2nd- Kirori mal3rd- Venky/College of Vocational studies

Western Music

1st- Kirori Mal2nd- IIT Delhi3rd- Lady Shri Ram College

Indian Music

IIT Kanpur trivia: It is said that whichever band performs in IIT Kanpur becomes famous. Last year they had Poets of the fall, a Finnish band that has gained widespread popularity and this year an Irish band called Glyder.

DRAMSOC

BITS Pilani results

BITS, Pilani trivia: Every year, when the participating colleges return to Delhi, most of them voice the same opinion: BITS Pilani is biased. Now this is not only a case of sour grapes, but time after time most participants feel that the competition is futile because the results are biased. This could also be the reason why most colleges chose to go to IIT Kanpur over BITS Pilani this year.

1st- Hansraj

Choreo1st- BITS Goa2nd- Kamala Nehru College

Western Dance

Fash - P1st- Kamala Nehru College2nd- DCAC

1st- Hindu College

page 1.pdfpage 2page 3page 4page 5page 6page 7page 8