New Delhi, Oct 16 (IANS) It’s the festival of lights and with all the diyas lighting up your home and crackers boosting your excitement level, don’t ignore the simple steps of caution which prevent the joyous occasion turning into a scarred one.
Listing out a set of precautionary measures, the Delhi Police Friday said that while lighting fire crackers - which must be done in an open space - water buckets or sand bags should be kept nearby in case of any mishap.

“Infants must be kept away from fire crackers and children should be accompanied by elders while setting off fire crackers,” a Delhi police official said.

Randeep Guleria, head of medicine at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) here added: “Several burn cases are reported during Diwali and people should be careful while lighting diyas and bursting crackers. An elder should always accompany children while setting off crackers.”

“People should wear proper clothing and shoes while lighting crackers to avoid burns,” he said.

To avoid any accident while lighting rockets, the police advised that any inflammable object that is on one’s house roof, should be removed.

Anup Dhir, a Delhi-based plastic surgeon, who has started a 24-hour Diwali helpline for immediate consultation during any burn injuries, said: “Lighting a fire cracker may seem very easy and fun but if one is not careful it can cause serious damage. One should never attempt to re-light a dud because it can go off. You should douse it with water instead.”

One should not carry fire crackers in their pockets because they are explosives and may go off prematurely even without being lit, he added.

“Also most of us ignore the instructions on firecracker packets. This may be a no-brainer, but can help you prevent a mistake nonetheless,” Dhir, whose helpline number is 09312377554 said.

The police have also advised against setting off crackers near hospitals, vehicles or near electrical wires.

Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, while advising people to avoid setting off fire crackers or use them in moderation, campaigned for an eco friendly Diwali. According to Delhi Police guidelines, no one should set off crackers beyond 10 p.m.