A BJP MLA’s claim that bursting firecrackers can cure diseases has brought renewed attention to how festival celebrations in Kolkata are being balanced with police guidelines on green crackers and noise pollution.
Papia Adhikari, the BJP legislator from Tollygunge, made the statement while inaugurating a Kali Puja event in her constituency. According to a report by Times of India – Kolkata, a firecracker went off loudly in front of her as she began speaking into a microphone.
Continuing her speech, Adhikari said, “You will see that bursting firecrackers will cure several diseases.” The report does not provide any medical evidence or expert support for that claim.
Adhikari also said that firecrackers were an essential part of Kali Puja celebrations and that people would continue to burst them. At the same time, she said that the police guidelines would be followed.
“Our chief minister has said that we will burst firecrackers. How can Kali Puja be complete without firecrackers? We will definitely burst firecrackers. However, we will follow the guidelines by the police,” she said, according to the report.
The remarks came days after chief minister Suvendu Adhikari issued a special message on the use of loud firecrackers during Kali Puja and Diwali celebrations. While speaking at the inauguration of several Kali Puja pandals, including those at Amherst Street and Khalishani, the chief minister said firecrackers would be burst during the festival.
The chief minister also urged residents to use eco-friendly or green crackers and comply with noise-pollution regulations. The report does not specify the precise rules referenced by the leaders, the permitted timings, or the enforcement arrangements in Tollygunge and other parts of Kolkata.
The episode places two separate issues alongside each other: the cultural and political endorsement of firecracker use during Kali Puja, and the requirement that such use follow public guidelines. The MLA’s statement focused on the alleged health benefits of bursting firecrackers, while the chief minister’s message focused on green crackers and noise controls.
For residents, the practical question remains whether festival fireworks will be conducted within the limits communicated by the police and civic authorities. The source report does not include a response from police officials, health authorities, environmental regulators or residents to Adhikari’s claim.
It also does not establish whether any action has been initiated over the statement or whether authorities have issued a separate clarification on the alleged medical benefits of firecrackers. The immediate official position cited in the report is that celebrations may continue with green crackers and compliance with noise-pollution regulations.
