Rain dampens Deepavali spirit

Rain dampened the spirit of Deepavali festival in the City on Wednesday and on Thursday as well with widespread downpour reported in most parts of Bangalore.

Despite the dampener, two boys were brought to the Government Minto Hospital after they suffered eye injuries while bursting crackers.

Nine-year-old Syed Pasha from Valmikinagar tried to burn a flowerpot, which exploded in front of him.

According to doctors at the hospital, Pasha had suffered blunt trauma in the eye causing hyphema – bleeding in the eye. He will have to remain in the hospital for a few days to recover completely, doctors said.

Another boy, Chandu, 12, a resident of Hegde Nagar, was hit by a stray firecracker in the eye. He too needs time to recover, the doctors added.

Dr T K Ramesh, Medical Superintendent of the hospital, wished it rains on Friday, too, so that revellers stay away from bursting crackers. “This will prevent eye injuries,” he said.
“Compared to last year, this year there are hardly any cases of eye injury. During 2013 Deepavali festival, the hospital had 61 patients, of which 21 were inpatients with severe eye injuries and 40 outpatients,” he said.

A few outpatients, especially children complaining of eye-burn caused by cracker smoke and dust, were treated at private hospitals on Wednesday.  The children were administered eye drops and sent home, the staff at the hospitals said.

According to Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre, Dasarahalli and Hegganahalli received the maximum rainfall of 24mm on Wednesday with widespread heavy drizzle in most parts of the City.

HSR Layout and Bommanahalli received 21mm of rainfall, followed by Sampangiramnagar with 20.5 mm.

Rain continued to play spoilsport on Thursday also, with Basavanagar receiving 21mm of rainfall by evening, followed by Kushalnagar (20mm); HBR Layout (18.5 mm); and Vidyaranyapura (14.5mm).

Karnataka State Pollution Control Board officials said that for two days, rains had considerably reduced the levels of noise and air pollution in the City.
The damp climate normally brings down the pollution levels.