The state governments within the National Capital Region on Friday urged the Supreme Court to allow the use of green firecrackers for a restricted period on Diwali, as well as Christmas and New Year’s Eve, reported Live Law.

A bench of Chief Justice BR Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran was hearing applications in a case pertaining to air pollution in the National Capital Region.

Appearing for states within the NCR, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the court that they were seeking permission to allow the use of green firecrackers on Diwali from 8 pm to 10 pm.

On Christmas and New Year’s Eve, the use of green firecrackers should be allowed from 11.55 pm to 12.30 am, and on Guruparab, from 4 am to 5 am, and 9 pm to 10 pm.

“Let children celebrate with fervour,” said Mehta.

Although the bench reserved its order, the chief justice remarked: “For the time being, we will permit on the ban lifting during Diwali.”

In April, the Supreme Court imposed a year-long ban on the manufacture, storage, sale and use of firecrackers in Delhi and adjoining areas that form the National Capital Region.

The court had ruled that the “so-called green crackers” would not be exempt from the ban, citing a Union government report stating that their emissions were only 30% lower than those of conventional crackers.

Green firecrackers are less polluting than regular ones as they are made with modified formulations and do not contain certain harmful elements such as lithium, arsenic, barium and lead.

On September 25, the Supreme Court allowed green crackers to be manufactured in the Delhi-National Capital Region but underlined that their sale and storage within the region continued to be banned.

The ban on firecrackers in Delhi was introduced to curb the national capital’s severe winter pollution. Air quality deteriorates sharply in the colder months in Delhi, which is often ranked the world’s most polluted capital. Stubble burning in Punjab and Haryana, along with falling temperatures, decreased wind speeds and emissions from industries and coal-fired plants contribute to the problem.

During the hearing on Friday, Mehta told the court that only firecrackers certified as “green” by the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute should be allowed for production and sale, reported Live Law.

To prevent misuse, he said that state governments and the Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation would ensure that only licensed vendors sell crackers.

Mehta also proposed banning online sales entirely and said no e-commerce platforms, including major players like Amazon and Flipkart, should be allowed to deliver firecrackers.

The solicitor general also asked that green crackers be allowed at weddings and similar personal events, subject to the same rules.

Delhi AQI dips to ‘moderately polluted’ 

Meanwhile, Delhi’s air quality dipped into the “moderately polluted” category on Friday, with the air quality index reaching 170.

An air quality index between zero and 50 is considered “good”, 51 and 100 “satisfactory”, 101 and 200 “moderate”, 201 and 300 “poor”, 301 and 400 “very poor” and 401 and 500 “severe”. An AQI in the “very poor” category can lead to respiratory illness on prolonged exposure.

Firecracker ban

On October 14, 2024, the Delhi Pollution Control Committee banned the production, storage, sale and use of all types of firecrackers in the national capital till January 1, 2025.

Despite this, firecrackers were lit across the city during Diwali festivities. On November 1, the morning after the festival, Delhi’s air pollution was recorded at 14 times the “safe” limit prescribed by the World Health Organization.

On November 4, the top court asked the Aam Aadmi Party government in power in Delhi at the time to consider a perpetual ban on firecrackers, stating that the restriction was hardly implemented in the national capital during Diwali.

On December 19, the Delhi government told the court that it had imposed a complete ban on firecrackers throughout the year.

Also read: Why some Delhi residents leave the city during Diwali