Odisha villagers say no to crackers for a noble cause

Paradip: While most of us were busy bursting firecrackers and distributing sweets to celebrate Diwali, some villagers on the outskirts of Paradip chose to bring smile on the face of a cancer survivor Sangram Sethi and his family members.

In a bid to boost morale and extend financial support to Sethi's family members, residents of Nuagarh village refrained from bursting firecrackers during the festival and instead collected a sum of Rs 25,000 for the survivor.

"Despite belonging to a financially backward family, Sethi is highly educated and is suffering due to cancer. To help him and his family we decided not to celebrate Diwali and collect an amount which he can use for his treatment," said a Nuagarh resident, Gunanidhi Behera.

Apart from that, the Nuagarh residents also offered worship at the village temple wishing Sethi's speedy recovery.

Another local resident Sudhal Swain said, "We have collected a small amount which can be used for his treatment, but it will be great if some industries can come forward to help him."