Cracker-related injuries surface amid festivities

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: While the festival of lights is currently underway, the city has already witnessed more than 10 cases of cracker-related burn injuries. Despite the government's guidelines on the safe use of crackers, instances of children injuring themselves have been cropping up.

Injuries in the city Narayana Nethralaya hospital located in Rajajinagar has had over seven people visit the hospital after a firecracker mishap. While three of them have been hospitalised, others have been treated and sent home. Dr Bhujanga Shetty of Naryana Nethralaya Hospital has informed that one person, however, is seriously injured and is undergoing treatment.

At the Minto Eye Hospital, four patients have been treated so far. Among the injured, two seven-year-old’s, one from Thanisandra and the other from Frazer Town, have damaged their eyes due to cracker accidents.

At present, there seems to be no danger of loss of vision, said Dr Vidya of Minto Hospital. They have been sent home after administering treatment. In another incident, as a result of lighting a rocket cracker, a 10 year old boy’s entire face has sustained burn injuries.

He has been admitted to the emergency care unit and is receiving treatment. The state-run Minto hospital witnesses numerous such cases every year during Diwali. On Friday, the hospital released a list of dos and don’ts for those who choose to burst crackers. It had also set aside 30 beds in separate wards, for male and female patients, to treat cracker-related injuries.

Minto Hospital Director Sujata Rathod said that emergency services will be available round the clock and a team of 100 doctors and post-graduate students will be deployed during the Diwali period.

“While there has been a significant reduction in the usage of firecrackers, due to the strict policies and regulations implemented by the authorities, reports of injuries that have the capability to threaten the vision severely as well as mild injuries are propping up,” Rathod said.

She added that more than 40% of the injured are less than 14 years of age. She explained that over 50 citizens get injured every year and over 34 patients had suffered serious eye injuries even during the pandemic days, last year.

Fire crackers are known to cause thermal, mechanical and chemical injuries. Raids on illegal crackers The police and fire brigade personnel have conducted a joint raid on shops that have been selling crackers without a valid licence.

Cracker shops situated on the main road of Hebbagodi in Anekal taluk were raided and a handful of them were shut down. The drive was conducted under the supervision of the fire department officer Nagesh.

 Though it is mandatory for shops selling firecrackers to obtain a valid licence, the rules were flouted using fake documents. The owners are also alleged of being involved in the sale of drugs and liquor. After clearing out the customers, the shops were also shut down