Overview

• A bench led by Chief Justice B. R. Gavai permitted only NEERI‑certified, QR‑coded green crackers from PESO‑licensed makers to be sold at designated sites in the NCR between October 18 and 20.
• Bursting is confined to two short windows on Diwali eve and Diwali day—6:00–7:00 am and 8:00–10:00 pm—with e‑commerce sales barred and conventional, barium‑based or series‑joined crackers prohibited.
• Police and State Pollution Control Board officers will run patrols, verify QR codes, take random samples, seize non‑compliant stock, and suspend or cancel licences for violations, with imports from outside NCR disallowed.
• The CPCB and SPCBs will track air quality from October 14 to 25, collect sand and water samples from high‑use areas, submit daily reports to the court, and feed into a post‑festival assessment.
• Delhi authorities began implementation by identifying sale sites, expediting temporary licences within two days, directing retailers on QR‑coded stock, and planning post‑Diwali return or safe disposal of unsold inventory.