Overview
- The Supreme Court has temporarily allowed only NEERI-certified green firecrackers under strict conditions, with usage confined to two daily one-hour windows on the day before Diwali and on Diwali.
- Sales are limited to designated locations by PESO-licensed traders, and enforcement teams are checking mandatory NEERI logos and scannable QR codes to deter counterfeit products.
- Early rollout has been slow, with Delhi receiving about 20 applications for temporary licences on day one as PESO reinstated operations for 122 permanent licensees for the permitted period.
- Authorities warned of penalties under the BNSS, the Environment (Protection) Act and the Explosives Act for violations, and police-led patrols have begun market inspections and seizures where needed.
- Emergency readiness has been stepped up, with the Delhi Fire Service deploying additional tenders, 17 standby vehicles and full staffing, as doctors caution that green crackers still pollute and pose risks for people with respiratory illness.