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Once a bustling hub of vibrant pyrotechnics, Farukh Nagar, located just a few miles from New Delhi, now stands as a ghostly remnant of its former self. The words "Indian Fireworks" still faintly appear on disused storefronts, a nod to the town’s rich history in fireworks manufacturing. For decades, family-owned businesses in this small town crafted a variety of fireworks, from ground-exploding bomblets to the crowd-pleasing "flower pots" that erupted in colorful displays. However, these workshops now lie abandoned, casualties of the Indian government's stringent measures against pollution and hazardous fireworks.

Historically significant in the production of fireworks since before India's independence from British rule in 1947, Farukh Nagar is engulfed in silence, especially poignant during the Hindu festival of Diwali. Traditionally celebrated with a riot of fireworks, Diwali is now marked by the nostalgic recollections of former manufacturers like Mohammed Hamid. Hamid laments the drastic changes, reminiscing about the liveliness that once characterized the town during the festival. According to him, the crackdown by the authorities has sunk many family-run businesses.

India's struggle with air pollution is particularly dire in its capital, New Delhi, home to over 30 million people. This Diwali, the city's air quality index plummeted to nearly 400, categorizing it as "very poor" due to the thick smog that envelopes the area. Efforts to mitigate pollution often involve targeting festivals like Diwali because of how smoke from firecrackers intensifies the already sluggish and smoggy air. Despite bans on the sale and production of firecrackers within the capital, many enthusiasts still venture to towns like Farukh Nagar to procure them.

Some experts, however, question the effectiveness of banning firecrackers, pointing out that their impact on pollution is transient. Sachchida Nand Tripathi, a dean at the Indian Institute of Technology in Kanpur, argues that firecracker pollution peaks briefly around the festival and dissipates soon after. Additionally, other factors such as farm fires in neighboring states and vehicular emissions are significant contributors to Delhi's persistent pollution problems.

Mohammed Hamid, whose family's fireworks business was shut down in 2016 due to pollution regulations and safety concerns, acknowledges that traditional firecrackers are polluting but criticizes the lack of government collaboration with manufacturers to develop less harmful alternatives. Hamid's factory, along with about 80 others, had its license revoked, leaving once-thriving workshops to succumb to rust and decay. Now, his family has shifted to running a small clothing store.

While traditional fireworks have disappeared from Farukh Nagar, new shops offering purportedly less polluting products have cropped up. Rajiv Jain's Anant Trading Company, which opened in 2014, stocks fireworks primarily imported from Sivakasi in Tamil Nadu, now the epicenter of India's fireworks production. Despite the shift, Farukh Nagar's legacy still draws shoppers like Aditya Verma from the capital, reflecting the enduring allure of the town’s fireworks heritage.

The evolution in Farukh Nagar reflects broader changes in India’s approach to balancing cultural traditions and modern environmental concerns, an ongoing challenge during festive seasons like Diwali.