Answer I
It's certainly not okay. I don't know what the law is in India, but ethically, it is absolutely not something you should be doing.
Firstly, even before we get to the problem that you're throwing burning objects around at random, it's littering. Those butts don't just vanish. They get blown around by the wind, find their ways into water sources, can be accidentally eaten by animals, and just in general crap up the environment. Cigarette butts may seem flimsy but they take decades to degrade.
Secondly, here in Colorado and elsewhere, a burning cigarette thrown out the window can easily start a fire when conditions are on the dry side. Gets caught by the wind, lands in dry grass or some paper, and now you've started a wildfire. Way too many fires get started that way.
In the US, at least, the penalty for doing so varies by local jurisdiction, but it's often pretty stiff even if you don't start a fire. I'm not sure if that's true or not in India. I've seen fines as high as $1000 for it. Additionally, if you start a wildfire, you will be responsible for any damage it causes, as well as the costs of responding to, containing, and extinguishing it. You better hope it got contained quickly, and even then that won't be cheap.
I smoked until a little over a year ago, so I'm not just being sanctimonious and not knowing about the subject. You can get a $5 cup-style snuffer ashtray that keeps the smell in, so your car won't smell like cigarette butts, and it'll fit right in your cupholder. It'll hold plenty of butts even if you drive through a full tank of gas on a cross-country trip, and then you dump them in a trash can when you stop at a rest stop or for gas. In town, you can just dump it in your own trash when you get home, or empty it in any public trash can while you're out. Since it's a "snuffer" type, the butt is pretty much out the second you put it in.
And you won't wind up with a bill for thousands of dollars (or worse) for starting a wildfire. If it gets bad enough or someone is injured or killed, you might even face criminal charges and jail time. Is it really worth it?
Answer II
It is not! Not just in India, anywhere in the world - it is not okay! The dangers it can cause:
1. Forest Fires - As Garrick Saito has mentioned, it is one of the major causes and in countries with thick vegetations and dry areas with high possibilities of fires, you can imagine!
2. Accidents - My brother and my mother once met with a road accident while on a motorcycle. It so happened that a person from the vehicle in front of them threw out a burning cigarette butt and the ash hit my brother's wrist. Out of balance, they crashed on a main road on Hyderabad during a peak hour. You can imagine the damage that could've happened. Luckily, there wasn't much traffic during that minute. Oh, oh, oh - the vehicle in front of them was a police jeep and the person who did that was a constable.
3. Pollution - Ground, Water and Air. Also it is hazardous for pets, plants and small babies.
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