Overview
- The Supreme Court on October 15 allowed restricted use and sale of so-called green crackers in the NCR, departing from an April order by a different bench that kept a year-round ban in place.
- The latest order cites claims that NEERI-developed crackers cut particulate emissions by at least 30 percent, though reported figures range from 30–50 percent on NEERI’s site to up to 80 percent in court.
- Delhi’s Air Quality Index was reported around 360 after Diwali as time limits were widely flouted and conventional fireworks were used despite restrictions.
- Hospitals reported a rise in respiratory complaints following the celebrations, with some doctors attributing cases to firecracker exposure.
- Analysts question the reliance on poor enforcement to justify diluting the ban and note the absence of a rigorous, independent impact study, intensifying public and political contention in the capital.