Chennai, Oct 29 (IANS): The Tamil Nadu Health Department has launched an awareness drive on the safe handling of firecrackers during the Diwali festival.

The department has advised the public not to take selfies while firecrackers are being burst. Health Minister Ma Subramanian said, “For the past two to three weeks, the health department has been conducting aggressive awareness programmes for children and the elderly, emphasizing the risks of burn injuries associated with bursting crackers. We are now in the final stages of this evaluation, and almost all districts have conducted awareness programmes at the grassroots level on the safe handling of firecrackers.”

The health department has instructed district health officers to ensure that awareness programmes are held in all districts to promote safe firecracker handling and prevent burn injuries.

In addition, the department has set up burn wards in all hospitals to treat individuals who sustain injuries while lighting crackers.

On Monday, the Minister visited the Government Kilpauk Medical College in Chennai, where he inaugurated 25 new beds to accommodate patients with burn injuries.

Annually, the Kilpauk Medical College treats around 2,000 people for burn injuries during the Diwali season.

In a communique, the health department urged the public to follow strict safety guidelines while bursting crackers. Hospitals across the state are prepared with dedicated burn beds, and doctors, nurses, and paramedical staff will be available around the clock to treat burn injuries.

As the festival approaches on October 31, people across Tamil Nadu are in the final stages of their festival shopping. Firecracker sales have increased significantly in recent days.

Ullas Kumar, a firecracker trader in Soukarpet, Chennai, said, “Sales were average until last weekend, but now there’s a high demand for all types of crackers. Most people are purchasing crackers from retail shops rather than online, as many have experienced issues with online orders.”

Health department officials have also directed local shops to provide printed safety instructions with every sale of crackers. Chennai is currently experiencing heavy traffic at bus terminals, as people are travelling back to their hometowns for Diwali celebrations. The Kilambakkam and Koyambedu bus terminals are crowded with passengers boarding long-distance buses.