Now, Panchkula school distributes 'seed crackers' for green Diwali

Chandigarh, October 20

‘Say no to crackers’ is a passé, for students are now getting ‘seed crackers’ that germinate into flower and vegetable saplings after decomposing in the soil.

A Panchkula-based school has taken the initiative towards celebrating environmentally friendly Diwali by distributing ‘seed crackers’ among its students.

“These crackers look similar to traditional ones, but have seeds of different plants such as marigold, basil, sunflower and others. The paper rolled over these crackers is 100 per cent biodegradable,” says Sanjay Thareja, director of the school.

The ‘seed cracker’ has to be broken into two parts. The outer biodegradable cover is put in a pit and prepared for sowing by covering it with soil. Thereafter, the contents and manure are emptied into the pit and again covered with soil. This has to be watered and kept moist till it sprouts. These crackers are manufactured in south India.