The Supreme Court on Wednesday relaxed the terms of the ban on firecrackers in Delhi-National Capital Region and allowed burning and selling of green firecrackers from October 18 to October 21 ahead of Diwali.
Chief Justice of India B.R. Gavai and Justice K. Vinod Chandra’s bench also allowed bursting of green crackers, and limited the time for it to 6-7 am and 8-10 pm.
The court said there should be a “balanced approach” between celebrating the festival and protecting the environment.
“We have to adopt a balanced approach, allowing bursting of green crackers in moderation, without compromising with the environment,” the bench said.
Since there is smuggling of firecrackers in Delhi-NCR, which causes more damage than green firecrackers, the sale and bursting of green firecrackers has been allowed.
As a temporary measure, it also ordered that the police authority form a patrolling team to ensure that only permitted products with QR codes are sold.
The Supreme Court ordered that bringing firecrackers from outside will not be allowed in the Delhi-NCR region.
It says that if fake firecrackers are found, the license will be suspended. Also, use of crackers not approved by NEERI as green crackers will not be allowed.
The Supreme Court directed the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and state pollution control boards to monitor air and water quality during this period and submit a report on the impact of fireworks on Delhi’s air from October 14 to 21.
The bench also took cognizance of the Delhi government’s order dated October 14, 2024, imposing a complete ban on firecrackers, which was later implemented across the NCR. The bench said that it is necessary to reconsider that approach in the light of public sentiment and enforcement realities.
This order of the Supreme Court came in a case related to air pollution in the National Capital Region.