SC permits green crackers in Delhi NCR for Diwali

The Supreme Court of India has recently green-lighted a regulated usage of green crackers for Diwali celebrations in Delhi and the National Capital Region, a move aimed at balancing festivity with environmental health. The court’s order stipulates that such crackers may be burst only at designated locations between October 15 and 25. On Diwali day itself, usage is confined to one hour in the morning (6-7 am) and two hours in the evening (8-10 pm). 

To regulate the practice, the court directed the sale of green crackers only at approved sites during that period. Crackers smuggled from outside the region are strictly prohibited. Each green cracker must carry a QR code, which must be validated via official platforms, to ensure authenticity and compliance. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and the respective state pollution control bodies in NCR will monitor air quality before, during, and after Diwali, and submit reports to the court. 

Supporters especially manufacturers and traders welcomed the ruling. They believe that legalising green crackers under controlled conditions may help curb black-market operations in conventional fireworks. The Delhi Fireworks Traders Association voiced hope that formal rules will foster safer options and reduce illegal inflows. One trader claimed innovations now allow green versions to offer 80–90 % of the visual impact of conventional ones, while using chemical additives that convert harmful emissions into water vapour. 

Yet environmentalists and health experts remained cautious. Some stressed that even in laboratory studies, green crackers show only modest reductions in pollutant emissions typically cited around 20 to 30 % under ideal conditions. In Delhi’s cold winter air, which tends to trap pollutants, the benefit may be negligible. Critics warned that easing restrictions, even temporarily, risks worsening an already precarious air quality scenario. One activist commented that children, the elderly, and those with respiratory issues are especially vulnerable, and air does not distinguish between “green” or conventional pollutants. 

In short, the Supreme Court’s decision attempts a delicate compromise allowing some controlled celebration but under close supervision. Whether that balance holds in practice, in Delhi’s fraught pollution environment, remains to be seen.

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