Overview

• Delhi has approved 168 temporary licences to sell NEERI/PESO-cleared fireworks, with more applications under review and police-led inspection teams deployed.
• Sales are permitted only October 18–20, with bursting limited to two windows on October 19–20 from 6–7am and 8–10pm under the court’s test-case order.
• On-the-ground reporting found widespread illegal trade across Delhi, Noida, Ghaziabad and Gurgaon, including banned stock, fake green labels and counterfeit QR codes.
• Crowds and traffic snarls overwhelmed key markets such as Gadoli in Gurugram, where buyers reported lax checks, safety gaps and confusion over certification.
• Delhi’s 24-hour AQI stood at 268 (‘poor’) on Saturday, with official forecasts warning of ‘severe’ levels next week, while districts like Mohali and Panchkula set separate two-hour bursting windows.