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To burst or not to burst?’ is a question many young humans might be asking as the patakha (firecracker) season begins. Teachers and doctors tend to advice against firecrackers but there’s always a paan-chewing uncle or a macho friend who’ll bully you kids into becoming enthusiastic arsonists. It’s usually a tough choice to make. Some additional information is always a good help in firming up ones’ resolutions. Therefore, let's throw some light on the history, chemistry, and eco-friendliness of patakhas.

Every winter Delhi is engulfed by smog. Air quality drops to a very poor or severe category. The 2020-21 winter also coincided with opening up from the COVID-19 lockdown. While economic activity has still not reached its peak, air pollution in Delhi was only marginally better than the previous year. The number of smog episodes was lower than the previous two years. However, the seasonal average was higher than the previous two years...