Deepavali Celebration Sparks Debate Over Litter, Cleanliness And Double Standards

A video showing a Deepavali celebration at a public playground in Singapore has sparked mixed reactions online, with netizens questioning the mess left behind and whether participants had cleaned up after themselves.

The video, shared by Instagram user @alpanasinhacreates, showed families celebrating with sparklers and firecrackers, with burnt remnants and other debris scattered across the playground.

Many netizens criticised the litter, questioning why public spaces should be left in such a condition after celebrations.

Some also raised concerns about the responsibility placed on cleaners to clear the mess.

Responding to the criticism, the video creator clarified that the area was cleaned up immediately after the celebration.

She explained that participants disposed of burnt-out sparklers in dustbins, while cleaning workers attended to the remaining mess after they left.

Others defended the festivities, pointing out that littering also occurs during the Hungry Ghost Festival, when offerings and burnt joss paper can sometimes be found scattered in public spaces.

They questioned whether the same standards of cleanliness were being applied across different cultural celebrations.

Similar incidents were reported following Deepavali in October 2025.

East Coast Park was found strewn with plastic bottles, beer cans and food packaging, while a playground in Punggol was covered in confetti and burnt sparklers.

Four cleaners reportedly spent three hours clearing the Punggol playground, with residents in Hougang and other estates also reporting litter after the celebrations.