this timeDiwaliDelhi and NCR will be having green crackers. Let us tell you that the Supreme Court has given permission to burst green crackers from 6 am to 8 am and 8 pm to 10 pm from October 18 to 21. At the same time, these firecrackers can be sold only at designated places from October 15 to 25.
As per the information available, the court clarified that only green crackers certified by CSIR-NEERI will be sold and surprise inspections will be conducted by the police to ensure that no manufacturer violates the standards of green crackers. It is noteworthy that the Supreme Court said that it was not appropriate to ban firecrackers completely without adequate data and hence a balanced approach has been adopted, in which freedom of celebration is given without harming the environment.
The court also directed that no firecrackers can be brought from outside in Delhi-NCR and the license of sellers violating the rules will be suspended. According to CSIR-NEERI, green crackers emit 20–30% less harmful particles than conventional crackers. These will be identified by the green CSIR-NEERI logo and encrypted QR code, ensuring their authenticity.
However, environmentalists and health experts are cautious about this decision. Bhavarin Kandhari said that reducing emissions by only 30% from green crackers is not enough due to accumulation of pollution in Delhi’s winters. Parents are also concerned about the health safety of children. Experts say the relaxation of firecrackers this Diwali could further worsen the air quality amid already high levels of pollution from vehicles, construction and electricity.
Green crackers have helped reduce trash and dust over the years, but studies show that they also release ultrafine particles that penetrate deep into the lungs. It is noteworthy that to ensure compliance with the rules of sale and bursting of firecrackers, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and State Pollution Control Boards (PCBs) will continuously monitor and submit the pollution level report to the court after Diwali.