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Dear MSians...... May this Diwali bring in you the most brightest and choicest happiness and love you have ever Wished for.Friends on the joyous occassion I would like to share the advice of Dr Pramod Kumar.


Dr Pramod Kumar, Head of the Department of Plastic Surgery and Burns Care Specialist at Kasturba Hospital,Manipal that supervision over the children lighting crackers and lamps by elders is a must to celebrate a safe Deepavali. , Dr. Kumar said, That the emergency services of most hospitals reported a rise in burn cases during the festival of lights. The Burns Care Centre of Kasturba Hospital, Manipal, reported more cases of burns on the Deepavali day, last year. Besides burns, other injuries such as damage to limbs and body, loss of eyesight and bursting of eardrums also occur,

Guidelines :

Dr. Kumar suggests a few guidelines for celebrating a safe Deepavali. They are:

Children should burst crackers only under close supervision of elders;

Crackers should not be held in hand and ignited; flowerpot crackers should be ignited with an incense stick or a sparkler from a safe distance;

Crackers should not be burst in closed places;

Avoid lighting rows of firecrackers; aerial firecrackers should be lit in an open field;

Dispose off the cracker waste; half-burnt crackers should either be doused in water or sand;

Wear cotton or hosiery garments and avoid silk and polyester clothes;

Loose strings or flowing sashes in clothes should be avoided;

Children should preferably wear trousers/pyjamas while bursting crackers;

Loosen all tight clothing or accessories while bursting crackers;

Children should wear comfortable footwear that allows them to run after lighting the cracker;

Keep a bucket of water, sand and blankets to put off fire, handy.

First aid :

As soon as a person’s clothes catch fire, he or she should be rolled on the ground or wrapped in a blanket to douse the fire and the patient should be drenched in water.

Elders need not panic if blisters appear as they indicate that the injury will heal. Whenever the clothes have caught fire, the person should not be allowed to run as the air will only aid the flames and worsens the burns.

In case of serious burns, attempting to remove the clothes is not advisable. The burnt parts of the body should be kept at an elevated level. Efforts should be made to take the patient to the nearest hospital with burns care facility.

Minor burns :

Clean the area gently with cold water and cover it with a clean, dry cloth; do not apply cotton; do not apply ice directly; in case the eye is affected, wash it with cold water for some time; if required, rush to a hospital with burns care facility.....


May the light that we celebrate at Diwali show us the way and lead us together on the path of peace & social harmony...