New Delhi: The Supreme Court of India on Wednesday allowed the sale and bursting of green firecrackers in Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) during the upcoming Diwali festival, relaxing the earlier blanket ban.
A Bench of Chief Justice BR Gavai and Justice Vinod Chandran issued the order while hearing the long-running case MC Mehta vs. Union of India & Ors., which concerns air pollution control and environmental safeguards in NCR.
The Court permitted the sale of green firecrackers from October 18 to October 20, stating that only eco-friendly firecrackers certified by the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) will be allowed.
The bursting of firecrackers has also been regulated to specific time slots. Citizens will be permitted to burst green crackers from 6 am to 7 am and 8 pm to 10 pm on two days — the day before Diwali and on Diwali day.
“Sale of green crackers will be permitted from October 18 to 20. Police authority shall constitute patrolling teams to ensure only permitted products with QR codes are sold. Violation notices shall be issued to those who break the rules,” the Bench stated in its order.
The Court further made it clear that no sale or delivery of firecrackers through e-commerce platforms will be allowed, a measure aimed at preventing illegal online distribution.
Balanced Approach on Pollution Control
The Supreme Court observed that a complete ban on firecrackers often leads to illegal smuggling of conventional crackers, which causes more environmental damage. Hence, a balanced approach was necessary to regulate the use of green firecrackers instead of enforcing an outright ban.
“Conventional firecrackers are smuggled which cause more damage. We have to take a balanced approach,” the Bench remarked. It also noted that when the blanket ban was imposed earlier, there was no significant improvement in air quality, except during the COVID-19 lockdown period.
The Court recalled that the concept of green crackers was introduced following the Arjun Gopal judgment and that over the past six years, these products have significantly reduced harmful emissions. The Bench acknowledged NEERI’s role in developing and certifying such firecrackers.
Supreme Court Directions
In its detailed order, the Supreme Court issued the following key directions to the authorities across NCR:
-
Sale and bursting of green crackers listed on NEERI’s website shall be permitted between October 18 and 20, only from designated locations identified by the district collectors. These locations must be given wide public publicity.
-
Police authorities shall form patrolling teams, including officers from the State Pollution Control Board, to monitor sales and ensure compliance at designated sites.
-
Patrol teams shall confirm that only QR-coded, NEERI-approved products are sold. Random samples will be tested for verification. Violation notices will be issued to those manufacturing or selling prohibited firecrackers, and their licenses will be cancelled.
-
District administration and police must ensure that the use of firecrackers is confined between 6 am – 7 am and 8 pm – 10 pm on two days — the day before Diwali and on Diwali.
-
Sales shall be permitted only through licensed vendors registered with NEERI.
-
Firecrackers not manufactured by registered producers will be immediately confiscated, and no firecrackers from outside NCR will be allowed into the region.
Easing of Ban After Six Years
The order marks a significant relaxation of restrictions that had been in place since 2018. The Bench noted that from October 14, 2024, to January 1, 2025, a complete ban on firecracker manufacturing was earlier imposed, but the results showed minimal impact on overall air quality.
By allowing regulated use of green firecrackers, the Supreme Court aims to strike a balance between environmental protection and traditional celebration during Diwali in NCR.
